Issue 3: The Hierarchies of Power in Contemporary Art

A digital image of a newspaper page titled 'The JustArt Newspaper Club' from Winter 2025. The page features artwork and articles discussing contemporary art and social issues. There is an image of an acrylic and conte painting titled 'Where We Once Stayed' by Juna Kim, depicting an urban landscape with architectural elements and abstract shapes in muted and vibrant colors. The article discusses art's role in social discourse and cultural narratives.

2025.12.02

Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jenny Ping Lam Lin

Junior Editorial Assistant: Stephanie Siu Yau Leung

Junior Art Writers: Zhilin Xiang and Yu-Ching Chang

32 pages

Cover Artists:

Juna Kim and David Guez

Artists list:

Neil Wheelock Deforest Smith

Scott O'Sullivan

Juna Kim

Marina Ghevondjan 

Susan Williams

Weixi Kuang & Junpeng Liang

Bahar Talebi Najafabadi

Yiwen Liang

Chaeyeon Kang

David Guez

Ling

Emma Sywyj

Zhilin Xiang (Esther)

Mohan Chen

Guo Cheng

Writer, Art group, curator:

Ying Wang

IOAEA

Haoyue Chen

Which Witch Collective

JustArt Newspaper Club can be purchased online through this Google Form. After filling out the form, our staff will notify you via email.

The contemporary art world is not just a realm of creativity and expression; it is also a complex landscape shaped by various power dynamics and hierarchies. This discussion aims to explore how power is distributed, exercised, and challenged within the context of contemporary art, examining the influences of institutions, markets, and cultural narratives. How cultural narratives and societal norms shape the understanding of art and artists. We will examine the intersection of race, gender, and class within contemporary art, highlighting whose stories are told and which remain unheard.

The role of identity politics in contemporary art will also be addressed, exploring how artists navigate and negotiate their identities within dominant narratives. We will spotlight artists and movements that actively challenge established hierarchies and advocate for social change. How do these artists use their platforms to address issues of inequality and injustice?

By examining these dynamics, we aim to foster a deeper appreciation for the socio-political contexts that shape artistic practice and to advocate for a more equitable and inclusive art community. Through this discussion, we hope to inspire dialogue and action toward dismantling oppressive structures and amplifying diverse voices in contemporary art.