How has art been used to mobilise and facilitate resistance? In contemporary society, resistance is no longer just a political act; it is an embodied experience, that’s expressed through the body, in the sounds of protest, and in the creation of art. Across galleries, digital spaces, and city streets, art has become one of the most powerful soft tools for… Continue reading The Art of Resistance
In The Uprising, a woman with a baby at her hip and a working man fend off an attack by a uniformed soldier. Behind them, a riotous crowd clashes with more soldiers, who force demonstrators to the ground. The location is unclear, though the figures’ skin tone implies that the scene is set in Mexico or… Continue reading The Uprising (1931), Diego Rivera
Located on a wall in Fitzrovia, London and appearing overnight on Easter Monday in 2011, it depicts one of Banksy’s iconic rats underneath the writing in red reading, “If graffiti changed anything, it would be illegal”. This is a reference to a quote by 20th century political activist Emma Goldman who campaigned for Women’s rights, her words were: “If voting ever… Continue reading If graffiti changed anything it would be illegal (2011), Banksy
Barbara Kruger addresses media and politics in their native tongue: tabloid, sensational, authoritative, and direct. Kruger’s words and images merge the commercial and art worlds; their critical resonance eviscerates cultural hierarchies — everyone and everything is for sale. The year 1989 was marked by numerous demonstrations protesting a new wave of antiabortion laws chipping away at the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme… Continue reading Untitled (1980), Barbara Kruger
The original sculpture of The Knotted Gun also known as “Non-Violence” was created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, a friend of John Lennon’s family. Reuterswärd created this piece of art after Lennon’s tragic death to honour the singer’s vision of a peaceful world. The oversized public version of the piece was planned for John… Continue reading The Knotted Gun a.k.a. Non-Violence (1980), Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd
