The Art of Quiet Protest
It’s a crazy world this week with the changing of the president and the seemingly far-right nationalism that has taken hold of our country. I’ve been burying my head in working on a client’s website and painting, severely limiting my intake of news at the moment.
I lamented on Threads (social media) that I wish I made protest art. Protest art is using your art for activism, to challenge the status quo and inspire change. It often challenges social norms and charged issues such as racism, sexism, inequality, politics, and more. I believe artists play a key role in social and political movements. We often use our work to express our views on the world around us. In an increasingly visual age, art can be a galvanizing force for movements and protests.
Protest art has the power to challenge authority in ways that words cannot. Through symbols and expression, protest art often inspires people to action and builds communities. It can be used to raise awareness about social and political issues and give marginalized groups a voice.
I’ve created specific protest art in the past, but it doesn’t come easily to me. It often feels a bit contrived when I do it. But as I thought more about it, I do create protest art in my own way. I paint emotions, feelings, and the things you can’t put into words, using nature as a metaphor and pathway to connection. It may not be overt or direct, but it is expressing emotion in that moment, of that moment. I think effective art doesn’t always solve problems but it always makes you think, makes you feel. And that’s the realm I work in.
The Waves Weave Stories Only The Clouds Can Hear, 30×40, mixed media on canvas
That being said, this new body of paintings I’m working on brings up some interesting connections with past work. Regardless of a specific theme, most of my work has explored the contrast of dark and light in the literal and metaphorical sense. I often play with opposing ideas, such as calm and chaos, connection and disconnect, optimism and pessimism, balance and disruption, etc.
There are always two sides to the same coin, meaning two things, although seemingly different, are closely related and represent different aspects of the same situation or concept; essentially, they are two perspectives on the same issue that cannot be fully separated from each other. I relate this often to our human selves and humanity.
When I paint, I work to bring those two seemingly disparate sides together as a whole.
Considering all that, I asked myself, is what I do a form of protest art? Is that possible? And I realized that yes, these paintings could be interpreted as protest art, depending on the context in which it is viewed and the observer's perspective. Here’s how it might align with themes of protest:
Nature as a Protest Symbol
The painting's turbulent, wave-like motion and stormy aesthetic might symbolize the Earth's reaction to environmental degradation, climate change, or humanity’s disconnection from nature. It could be seen as a visual plea to respect and protect the planet.
Abstract Representation of Struggle
The chaotic energy of the brushstrokes and the juxtaposition of light and dark tones might reflect societal turmoil, inequality, or resistance against oppression. It could express the raw emotional landscape of protest - anger, hope, and the push for change.
Disruption as a Statement
Abstract art often breaks traditional norms, and this painting’s bold, fluid composition could represent a challenge to conventional structures, both in art and society. It might symbolize the dismantling of outdated systems or beliefs.
Human Connection in Protest
If interpreted as a metaphor for humanity, the piece might highlight collective struggles and waves of people coming together in moments of unity or resistance, mirroring the undulating patterns of the painting.
A Cry for Attention
The painting’s vibrant contrasts and movement demand attention, much like a protest calls on society to look, listen, and engage with important issues.
While it has all those things, it’s not specifically political or in-your-face protest. Maybe it’s my way of quietly protesting by painting the feelings and emotions we don’t have words for or cannot say, but it’s what we experience inside ourselves.
