Visual Culture
In an overwhelming world of visuals, how can art play a role in shaping a social justice movement?
“I have been an activist for decades but I know that my art speaks much more loudly than I ever could.”
- Ti-Rock Moore (BLM artist)
#BlackLivesMatter Artwork Spotlight
Over the past three years the #BlackLivesMatter movement has strategically used visual culture as a means to inspire, educate and evoke conversation about their cause. This cause is not just about Black lives supporting other Blacks. Rather, it’s about recognizing Black people as contributors to society and humanity at large.
Art is one of the most monumental ways in which we as humans contribute to our society and communities. It provides us with a way to communicate feelings and experiences with each other. Communicating this is especially important to the #BlackLivesMatter cause, as the Black experience is not one that everyone has. And so, art and visual culture play an important role in placing outside viewers in a situation or perspective that they might not otherwise experience or be able to understand. Here are some of the most powerful #BLM artworks and the meaning behind them.
Visual culture has played a significant role in the #BlackLivesMatter movement so far, and will likely continue to do so until change is enacted. Art and other cultural expressions provide BLM supporters and activists a powerful platform for communicating their cause and thereby legitimizing it in the process. As the civil rights movement of the 60s changed society forever, hopefully the BLM movement will produce similar effect using visual culture as a valuable tool for their message.