Art and Empathy

Bedia is well-known for his evocation of Cuban imagery and incorporation of African traditions in his art. Many of his works are inspired by his Santería faith and Christian beliefs and include sacramental imagery as well as mythical elements. Bedia portrays empathy with a powerful, yet modest visual approach. Empathy is understanding or being in tune with a feeling experienced by others, rather than just observing emotions. Art created by Bedia and others, can teach empathy. There’s a line of energy emerging from the dog to the recipient, which symbolizes their substantial connection. Bedia chooses to include text not only in this work, but many others, to give the audience a literal way to engage with the work of art.  At first glance the imagery could be interpreted as an act of malice (relating the social distance between the participants), but the text, translated into English as “good intention” reveals the human subject’s desire to feed the dog.

Born in Germany and raised in London, Brandt began his photography career as a social documentarian. In his second book, A Night in London (1938), he recorded the effects of World War ll across the city. Many of the photographs in the series were taken at night, without flash, during the city’s blackouts. Influenced by artist and lifelong friend, Brassaï (French, 1899-1984), Brandt’s images possess a heightened ambience and a sense of place. This image depicts children on the window of a basement apartment staring at the people walking by the street. The photograph demonstrates urban living conditions that can be crowded and devoid of sunlight. Bethnal Green, where the image was taken, is a neighborhood in the East End of London which lies 3.3 miles northeast of Charing Cross, a major crossroads in London and historically considered to be the center of the city.

The etching process, where a negative impression is first marked against a metal plate, is intricate and labor-intensive. It involves rinsing, bathing, scrubbing, heating, and eventually pressing the plate onto moistened paper. Artist Gabor Kórai is a vocal advocate of this method, often emphasizing the rich potential for artistic expression within each step. This etching in particular features an entanglement of lines and limbs characteristic of Kórai’s work. The artist draws the viewer into the emotional struggle experienced by the subjects. Two abstract figures float atop a ground of ink, providing a stark visual contrast between the two modes of mark-making. One set of lines represents the internal emotional system, while the other set of lines represents what is visible from the outside. Kórai is selective with his detailing, allowing viewers to gauge for themselves where one figure ends and the other begins, both literally and metaphorically.

Ruth Orkin grew up in Hollywood during the silent film era. She  became  enthralled by the camera and took pictures of everyone around her. In 1943 she moved to New York to pursue a career as a freelance  photo - journalist . One of her first jobs after moving to New York was taking portraits of children; this evolved into a lifelong love of photographing children. The  work exemplifies  the candid nature that is emblematic of Orkin’s photographs. Her depictions of children are expressive, conveying motion and emotion. The parents and the three children in the photograph are unknown, but their expression of togetherness conveys empathy and enduring care for one another. 

This photograph is part of Frederic Roberts’s critically-acclaimed volume  Humanitas   (2007)— the first of the three that make up the series. The title refers to an area within the city of Jodhpur, located in northeastern India. On a mission to capture moments of sincere humanity and honest living in South Asia, Roberts photographed this outdoor scene in India. Roberts went on to host multiple workshops to teach photography to India n students . The businessman-turned-photographer shares the following about his goals for the students of his workshop:  “ We are thrilled if they become professionals, and occasionally they do. But even more important than that…is that they have the ability to literally change their world, because they can use these cameras in very powerful ways. They can tell stories… can tell the story of healthcare or education or nutrition or micro-finance or electrical power in rural areas. They can tell any story. ”

Apart from being one of the largest producers of cotton in the world, India uses cotton agriculture as an important engine for economic growth and poverty reduction. The women handpick the cotton with a smile on their faces, although in reality the work in which they are engaged is backbreaking. Higher yields of cotton with genetically modified insect resistant crops have increased employment opportunities for rural Indian women. Therefore, the harvesting of cotton may bring Indian women greater earning potential for her family. 

Shahn’s works focus on social issues and the living conditions of people in the countryside during the time of the Great Depression. He participated in an artistic movement called Social Realism which focused on the impoverished and oppressed. He spoke widely against injustice and through his art he influenced many to consider economic inequity. The artist rejected strict definitions of art and aimed to make art more accessible. This lithograph was made for a book named  For the Sake of a Single Verse by Maria Rilke. The book focuses on personal growth. When Shahn was 28 he came across it and felt incredibly moved by the text, therefore, he interpreted these verses into art. 

Ben Shahn ’s work is synonymous with Social Realism, a movement focused on a group that often struggles in silence: the poor and oppressed working class. The lithographic process produced work that would be affordable and could be widely distributed. In this composition, Shahn portrays a man who holds his head in his hand, which is  rendered disproportionately large — presumably to represent that the man feels his struggle is astronomical and out of control. The overwhelming sensation of the man’s desolation is augmented by the darkness of the figure and by the muted colors of the background. The somber palette reinforces the internal battle the man faces and suggests he needs consolation and empathy through his slouched, resigned posture; thus, linking a physical  reaction  to an emotional toll.

This work belongs to Leandro Soto’s series Liborio Wants to Escape. The work was inspired by a trip that Soto made to Cuba in 1999. The trip occurred during the time of the so-called "special period," characterized by increased economic hardship from 1991 to 2001. Soto saw and lived the difficulties that his family and friends were going through, and a deep sadness came over him. 

Liborio was a cartoon character created during the 1930s that represented the Cuban people, someone without social class, the peasant or the worker. At that time, Liborio was evoked to illustrate the current realities of life in Cuba. For this reason, Soto shows empathy by transforming himself into Liborio, putting himself in the place of the Cuban people and thus understanding their emotions, feelings, and thoughts.

Here, Liborio is depicted as a Cuban in a raft at sea with his fate in the hands of the wind. He is without clothes as a metaphor for fragility and poverty. This man represents Cubans in exile, people who have left everything in search of a better future, but who still dream of seeing a free Cuba: a place where democracy exists where Cubans can think and express themselves without fear of being reprimanded or imprisoned.

Kara Walker’s powerful commentary on race and American history draws on many sources, such as the film Gone with the Wind, slave narratives, and the traditional art of silhouette. Although she uses different materials in her practice, some of her most well-known works include cut black paper. In the early 1800’s, silhouette portraits increased in popularity as a less expensive alternative to oil painting. Walker’s compositions present Black Americans and confront the history of slavery and the persistent erasure of violent and unjust histories. These examinations of racial violence and White supremacy encourage a reexamination of our historical past and contemporary present.

Siqueiros dedicated the majority of his life to fighting against oppression. He believed that the difference between classes was at the root of many societal issues and his art was a form of protest. Mother and Child exemplifies how a work of art can evoke empathy towards those in need. The mother cradles the child, covering half his face, as if to shield him from the world. Mother and child imagery appears frequently in the artist’s work; mothers are presented as the ultimate protectors.