They say art imitates life. And when everyday life is overturned for a greater cause that unites us but, at the same time, makes us question everything, art ends up accompanying us on the jittery journey.For more than a week now, all anyone in India can talk about is the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Whether they’re calling it unconstitutional by pointing out how it blatantly leaves out the Muslim minority, or sharing bite-sized bigotry-smashing explainers that break down what’s happening, or laughing at dank memes that help them cope with the current shitshow—there’s been a surge of CAA-related content circulating on social media. Not only is Instagram bombarded with witty albeit heart-wrenching illustrations that leave behind their emotional imprint with every share, but also thanks to accounts like @creativesagainstcaa, all those planning to protest have an entire ecosystem of statement-making posters that they can print out and carry along.
Advertisement
Since art has the distinct ability to express what everyone’s feeling in a way that renders words redundant, it becomes instantly relatable for all those viewing it. But what’s even better about this ‘Add to story’ Instagram culture is that it has emerged as a powerful part of the protest movement, educating all those who may not be able to show up, but still want to stand up. Ironically, this type of online activism is erupting all over on every platform despite the internet shutdowns, signifying the strength of social media call for action.VICE put together a list of artwork, illustrated explainers and meme-worthy material that have been doing the rounds on social media, and asked their creators what drove them to protest using art, despite the fact that expressing personal and political views is under threat in today’s environment."The idea for the piece came while watching several videos of police violence during recent protests. It reminded me of some of the horror movies that I watch because, like zombies, the average policeman probably doesn’t really know what they’re doing, or why, or the consequences. They’re just told what to do and they have to obey. Not just the police, even protesters who use violence senselessly are portrayed in the poster as zombies. Section 144 was imposed in Bengaluru (among other cities), and there have been internet shutdowns everywhere. It's clear that some people in power don’t want the public to communicate or have critical conversations. Hence, The 'Be Quiet' Place!"—Manek D'silva
'Some people in power don't want us to have critical conversations'
Advertisement
'Students have led the way'
'Students are the hope in this gloomy situation'
'You just don’t mess with the Constitution'
'Art is the purest non-violent method of communication'
Advertisement
'Art can shake people out of their comfort zones'
'The 'protectors of our country' are shredding apart our Constitution'
'I wanted to make artwork that people could print out for protests'
'My work is a call for people to wake up and stand against it wherever they are'
Advertisement