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Does Defacing Art = Activism? episode artwork

Oct 13, 2026 14 min

Does Defacing Art = Activism?

from CrashCourse Hosted by CrashCourse

Art is the perfect tool for activists to get across their message and make people pay attention. In this episode of Crash Course Art History, we’ll learn about the centuries-long practice of iconoclasm, how art intersects with protest movements, and what happens to artists when the authorities aren’t thrilled by their acts of resistance.Introduction: Gran Fury & ACT-UP 00:00Performance Art 01:08Jaune Quick-to-See Smith 02:28Ai Weiwei 04:04Iconoclasm 07:11Review & Credits 08:58Image Descriptions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ETiCxe4GrVzFii7dBhF42oHx1EUCCh5y12wbtUjsH8A/editSources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GW2NKzhpMNMmRyAFJVhFJG9cSfUOMRL-QrcWuHcWcIA/edit?usp=sharing ***Support us for $5/month on Patreon to keep Crash Course free for everyone forever! https://www.patreon.com/crashcourseOr support us directly: https://complexly.com/supportJoin our Crash Course email list to get the latest news and highlights: https://mailchi.mp/crashcourse/emailGet our special Crash Course Educators newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iBgMhYThanks to the following patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:Brandon Thomas, Emily Beazley, Forrest Langseth, Rie Ohta, oranjeez, Jack Hart, UwU, Leah H., David Fanska, Andrew Woods, Ken Davidian, Stephen Akuffo, Toni Miles, Steve Segreto, Kyle & Katherine Callahan, Laurel Stevens, Krystle Young, Burt Humburg, Perry Joyce, Scott Harrison, Mark & Susan Billian, Alan Bridgeman, Breanna Bosso, Matt Curls, Jennifer Killen, Jon Allen, Sarah & Nathan Catchings, team dorsey, Bernardo Garza, Trevin Beattie, Eric Koslow, Indija-ka Siriwardena, Jason Rostoker, Siobhán, Ken Penttinen, Nathan Taylor, Barrett Nuzum, Les Aker, William McGraw, ClareG, Rizwan Kassim, Constance Urist, Alex Hackman, kelsey warren, Katie Dean, Stephen McCandless, Wai Jack Sin, Ian Dundore, Caleb Weeks__Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecrashcourse/Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/YouTubeCrashCourseTwitter - http://www.twitter.com/TheCrashCourseCC Kids: http://www.youtube.com/crashcoursekids

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Does Defacing Art = Activism?

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This episode is 14 minutes long.

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This episode was published on October 13, 2026.

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