From the Gallery to the Street
A Perspective on Art as Protest
Visual art has been used as a form of protest for centuries in different ways. Art and activism have a common aim of exposing the truth and art can unite across the linguistic and cultural barriers that often divide.
Art as protest is based on the belief that civil dissent is one of the most critical rights in a democracy; when the ballot fails us, all that is left is street protest. Dissenting creative art, as well as street protest, are activities authoritarian governments will try to crush, which is a testament to the power of both.
Protest art typically uses print, photos or street art. Paintings, which are not usually seen as having a role in street protest, can make potent statements in public dissent that can engage people beyond the emotional limitations of outrage and anger and trigger a complex mix of emotions and self-reflection.
Lucia is focusing on specific social / political issues to connect universal themes by portraying timeless elements of humanity: love, compassion, resilience, courage and hope (e.g. the mother figure in all 3 paintings resonates with oppression against Palestinians and Muslims but could also be a woman of a different faith).
This installation highlights specific abuses of human rights, cruelty and oppression, and shows how it can be transferred to a street protest context and exert its emotional impact in a public environment.
Tuesday – Sunday // 10.00 – 17.00