By Michael Smith
Where Has All the Art Gone?
In a world flooded with bite-sized, disposable content, you might find yourself wondering—what happened to the kind of art that truly mattered? It’s a question that’s been nagging at me, one I heard echoed in a recent YouTube video by Dasia Sade, an up-and-coming creator I stumbled upon. In her video, she asked why so much of today’s art feels disconnected from the pressing issues of our time. Her words hit home. Art once served as society’s mirror, reflecting both beauty and the hard truths we often ignore. But today, that mirror feels fogged over, with consumerism and sanitized content replacing art’s bold, raw authenticity.
Street Art: The Last Bastion of Rebellion
Growing up, I was steeped in the rebellious energy of Rage Against the Machine. Their music didn’t just make me move; it made me think. And it’s that same defiant spirit I now find in street art. Like Rage’s music, street art demands attention. It’s raw, unpolished, and unapologetic, boldly addressing the very issues mainstream culture prefers to tiptoe around. Walking through city streets, vibrant murals and stenciled messages confront you, unfiltered by the needs of advertisers or algorithms.
Dasia’s video touched on how today’s art is often commercialized and safe, designed to be palatable. In contrast, street art remains an act of rebellion—real, visceral, and in-your-face. It’s a far cry from the polished, market-friendly versions of creativity we’re fed online. Street art strips away the gloss, exposing the truth that’s so often hidden behind corporate-sponsored culture.
The Commercialization of Modern Art
One of the most striking points Dasia made in her video was how today’s mainstream art has been commodified—scrubbed clean of its sharp edges to make it more digestible. Look around: so much of what we consume today is focused on instant gratification. Influencers sell us lifestyles, TikTokers serve up catchy but forgettable dances. It’s all about what’s quick and consumable, not what’s deep or thought-provoking.
Our scrolling habits have become finely tuned to feed us the next shiny distraction. We’re being given short bursts of content, stripped of substance. It’s hard to find art that challenges you anymore, that makes you uncomfortable in the best way possible. Where’s the edge? Where’s the risk?
Rage Against the Machine: Music as Protest
When I was younger, Rage Against the Machine taught me that art could be a form of protest. Their music wasn’t just loud—it was an unapologetic, unfiltered critique of the system. They called out the corruption most people pretended not to see, and they did it with an intensity that shook you awake.
Today, though, where are those voices in the mainstream? You don’t hear that kind of defiance on the radio. The music industry has largely traded rebellion for what sells. Even bands that are politically charged seem to soften their message for broader appeal. It’s like the rebellion has been driven underground—alive and kicking, but pushed to the fringes of society.
Why Does This Matter?
Street art and politically charged music like Rage Against the Machine matter because they refuse to conform. They remind us that art isn’t just decoration—it’s a tool for speaking truth, especially when that truth is hard to swallow. Art should provoke, challenge, and make us uncomfortable because it’s in those moments of discomfort that real growth happens.
In a world where creators are pressured to sanitize their work for fear of losing sponsorships or demonetization, we need to stand behind the art that reflects reality. The slick, polished content of the mainstream may be easy to consume, but it lulls us into complacency. Meanwhile, rebellion—whether it’s spray-painted on a wall or screamed into a microphone—keeps us awake.
Supporting Real Art
So, how do we keep art from becoming just another tool of consumerism? First, we need to actively support the creators who are brave enough to take risks. Whether they’re painting murals on city walls or making politically charged music that will never get radio play, these artists need our backing. We have to seek out art that challenges us and share it with others, even when it’s easier to consume what’s comfortable and familiar.
Dasia’s message is clear: support independent artists. Buy their work, attend their shows, share their content. Because in a world that pushes us to numb ourselves with easy distractions, art—real art—still has the power to change the way we see the world.
Check out Dasia Sade’s full video for more insights on the role of art in today’s society:
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