The University of Arizona College of Fine Arts will welcome internationally recognized artist, writer and activist Jacques Servin as the keynote speaker for its Fall Graduation Convocation.
Servin—also known as Andy Bichlbaum—is the co-founder and co-director of the Yes Men, the culture-jamming activist duo whose work uses satire, performance and media intervention to expose corporate misconduct and challenge dominant narratives. Their projects demonstrate how art can move beyond the gallery or screen to directly engage the public, spark dialogue and demand accountability.
- The Fall Graduation Convocation will take place in Crowder Hall on Dec. 18 at 7p.
The Yes Men have produced three acclaimed feature-length films—The Yes Men, The Yes Men Fix the World, and The Yes Men Are Revolting—all of which have been screened theatrically, at film festivals, universities and art institutions around the world.
Among their most well-known actions, Servin impersonated a Dow Chemical spokesperson during a live television broadcast, drawing global attention to the company’s ongoing failure to address the catastrophic Bhopal disaster. The moment, both shocking and darkly humorous, exemplifies the Yes Men’s approach: using theatrical disruption to reveal uncomfortable truths and reframe public conversations.
Through humor and strategic mischief, Servin’s work illustrates the power of creative practice to interrupt harmful systems, illuminate injustice and inspire collective action. His projects have appeared not only in major film festivals and galleries, but also in classrooms and news outlets worldwide, underscoring the reach and relevance of socially engaged art.
Servin, a Tucson native and University of Arizona graduate, returns to campus to help shape the next generation of creators from the College of Fine Arts, as he has done previously through teaching appointments at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and Parsons School of Design.
Servin’s keynote will celebrate the Class of 2025 while challenging graduates to consider how their creative voices can engage the world beyond the university—using imagination, courage and humor to make meaningful change.