Safety’s Off, take the shot - Art in 2025

This surmises the prevailing sentiment I notice from artists at the moment.

But why now?

I remember being told in design school, there will come a time when you have to chose between morality/ethics, and food/rent.

Yet as a result of those collectors with speculative expectations leaving the market, many artists no longer feel the need to “choose” as the choice has been taken from them. They find themselves no longer in a desperate attempt to appease, to not rock the boat.

The safety is off.

Combine this with current global political pressure, the injustice and ignorance pressing down on all of us, the damage being done to both people and planet.

The opponents of humanity are making noise with their propagandised lies, smoke grenades and flashbangs, they seek to overwhelm with volume and distract with bright lights, whilst they spray and pray in to the crowd.

They are a threat to us all, a reason to take the shot.

These are the circumstances I see driving artists right now, forcing their hand in a fight they didn’t start but are forced in to like all of us, silence no longer feels like an option.

Now if you’re an artist you just have to make sure you’ve loaded the right calibre, picked the right tool.

Counter their lies with the clarity of vision research gives, you cut through ignorance’s armour to the heart of the matter with the calibre of compassions truth. In a battle of propaganda the artists will always win so long as they fight.

You have to take the shot, because those opposing you already have.

Lipstick Bomber - Wolf Vostell