Tag: Homeplace

Unpacking Digital Artivism: A First Look

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Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay. Modified by Percy Chang. The note in the fortune cookies read  “Your art can light the path to a better world; let it shine online.”

Same Spirit, New Outlets

Back in the mid-’90s, I had a brief stint as a fiery college student in Taiwan, where democracy was flourishing. I joined my fellow students, armed with poster pens and cardboard, to advocate for human rights and against the tensions coming from across the strait. Yep, I’ve just given away my age! But those were the good times when we physically took to the streets, facing the authorities and telling them face-to-face what we stood for. Telling isn’t always the best strategy, but our art, street acts, acoustic guitar sessions with spontaneous lyric writing, and memorable protest symbols captured the attention and built a strong sense of solidarity within a community dedicated to freedom of speech. Today, that same spirit thrives online. Digital artivism is highly accessible, allowing artists to explore diverse forms of expression, from digital illustrations and interactive design to video art. For activists without a graphical background, could use AI tools to generate creative visuals. Once combined forces with compelling social media campaigns, global audiences can be reached for meaningful social change! At the same time, they can receive instant feedback and perhaps adjust strategies efficiently in real-time. For this introductory post, I’d like to briefly present three examples that give a practical view of digital artivism in action. While this is just a quick overview, it might pique your interest and encourage you to explore the links to the creative movement in activism and learn more!

  1. Self Help Graphics & Art: Since the 1970s, this minority-led organisation rooted in community has fostered local artists to create visuals that inspire action and teach activists about the power of visual art. In recent years, they’ve expanded their impact by embracing digital platforms. This allows their initiatives to empower artists and activists worldwide, all from their vibrant neighbourhood in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.
  2. Terra Movement Platform:  Founded in 2020 by Sofia Hadjisof during the pandemic lockdown, Terra Movement began as a one-woman effort from her studio. She invites artists worldwide to collaborate, using their creativity to tackle climate change. It shows that with a cause based on passion and the use of digital tools, anyone can start a movement and start making an impact.

Image source from Terra Movement.

 3. #AllEyesOnRafah: During the Israel-Hamas conflict in early May 2024, an Instagram post with an AI-generated image and the slogan ‘All eyes on Rafa’ was shared over 47 million times within only two days. All around the world, activists, influencers, and celebrities post it on their accounts to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Rafah. I will not go into it but here is a good article about how the post was created. This marks a breakthrough in digital artivism, as with the help of AI, artists and activists could create ‘sanitised’ images to address critical issues without getting blocked or taken down by AI algorithms and human moderators. Screenshot Caption: “AI-generated image from the ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ campaign, which went viral during the Israel-Hamas conflict in May 2024.” Source: Image and information sourced from NPR article, “All Eyes on Rafah: The Most Viral AI Meme, Malaysia Artists Claim Credit”. Link to the article

Future Envision

Imagine stepping into a VR world where you become a clownfish swimming in a suffocated ocean, navigating through polluted waters. Feeling the struggle and urgency firsthand could make us more empathetic and driven to advocate for ocean conservation. If these experiences were made available to everyone—from policymakers and leaders to youngsters and everyone in between—they could transform how we understand and engage with environmental issues. I am excited about emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) that are set to revolutionise how art is created and experienced after reading this published report from the Pew Research Center on The best and most beneficial changes in digital life that are likely by 2035 (Chavda & Chavda, 2024), These immersive environments can engage us emotionally and intellectually, bringing art and activism to a deeper level. Jonathan Kolber, author of “A Celebration Society,” stated, “I believe that we will see multiple significant and positive developments in the digital realm by 2035. The widespread availability of immersive VR (sight, sound, touch, and even limited smell and taste) at a low cost… will offer experiences of wonder, learning and play.” Of course, everything has two sides. My focus is on how we can develop and improve, seeing possibilities and working through obstacles. 

Exploring Digital Artivism Together

As a working artist beginning my journey in Communication for Development studies, this project opens the door for me to examine how artists use digital platforms to address social issues and engage communities. In my world, where freedom of speech feels like a playground, I’m curious about those who face greater restrictions. How do they navigate their platforms and convey their messages despite these challenges? My name is Percy Chang and I invite you to join me on this journey as we explore these important questions together. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Feel free to follow us on Instagram @ida_insidedigitalactivism and interact!

For a deeper dive into digital artivism

Check out Digital Artivism: Pictures Worth Thousands of Words by Ana Filipa Maceira, with illustrations by Irem Kurt. It offers an enlightening perspective on how digital platforms amplify activist voices.  Another insightful source is the academic journal Dissent Art in the Digital Age: Insights into the Culture of Artivism on Instagram in India by Bhawna Parmar. This work delves into how artivists use Instagram to express dissent and drive social change, particularly in response to significant political events. 

Bounce a Thought Our Way!  

Can you share a few examples of digital or traditional artists who have inspired you with their activism on online platforms? Please comment with their names, the messages they conveyed, and how you first came across those messages (which platform did you use?)

 

Protests online and offline

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“One of the most vital ways we sustain ourselves is by building communities of resistance, places where we know we are not alone.”
bell hooks

I ran into this quote on an Instagram account that shares information on demonstrations and protests that are happening in Finland in support of Palestinians. The idea of resistance as a comforting action, a way of building community is fascinating.

For me taking part in a demonstration has always been an emotional experience. 2018 when huge climate marches happened everywhere, also in Finland, it felt good, and comforting to realise that millions of others are concerned about climate issues and are willing to use their time to come together, make signs, and march together. For a moment it felt like together we can change the development and heal the environment.

For the past year, pro-Palestine demonstrations have taken place all around Finland, in Helsinki every week. Coming together, and showing solidarity has felt important, and personally also a place where you can grieve. Over 14 000 children have died in the war in Gaza after October 2023. Witnessing that horror – through digital channels – is overwhelming and deeply sad. Some of the demonstrations have been silent candle demonstrations, they felt a kind of memorial service for those who lost their lives.

A homeplace

The quote in the beginning is from the book Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics. In the same book hooks describes a site of resistance, a homeplace, like this:

“This task of making homeplace was not simply a matter of black women providing service; it was about the construction of a safe place where black people could affirm one another and by so doing heal many of the wounds inflicted by racist domination. We could not learn to love or respect ourselves in the culture of white supremacy, on the outside; it was there on the inside, in that “homeplace,” most often created and kept by black women, that we had the opportunity to grow and develop, to nurture our spirits.”

What kind of communities of resistance are there in the digital world? And how the protests and demonstrations in real life are in connection with the digital world? Protests are photographed and live-streamed to social media, social media channels are used as a way to share information and educate people. But the idea of a homeplace, a community of resistance highlights the importance of collective support and a feeling of community – can you get that also digitally?

In my IDA blogposts, I will explore this topic. The links between online and offline activism. This blog post-series is also my journey of finding ways and methodologies to study the topic.

Online, offline, or both?

I come from Finland, where even small children have their mobile phones. The digital world is intertwined in everything we do. From my perspective, all offline activism is somehow connected to digital channels. Can online and offline activism even be separated?

“The success of online activism is reliant on several factors, chief among them, the effective coordination with offline activities. Even those who believe the internet was instrumental in determining the success of the Arab Spring would admit that had activists not taken to the streets, then perhaps, having typically overstayed his mandate, the ex-President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, would not have seen the need to give up.” Mutsvairo (2016)

This quote from the book Digital Activism in the Social Media Era argues that online activism needs offline activism, to be able to achieve change. Mutsvairo continues with an explanation of an argument by Anduiza et al. (2009) who have characterized activism in three different categories, drawing a distinction between activities that are only possible online, those only conceivable offline, and offline activities that can also be carried out online. This distinction seems like a good starting point for my expedition in digital activism.

What next?

Having a channel where to communicate and finding the right audience is already the first step of building a community. The digital world is not accessible to all, but for those who can access digital channels, it offers a way to speak for themselves. A study from Zimbabwe argues that digital tools are empowering activists:

“The study found that social media has given Zimbabwe’s unique digital activists the power, in real or illusory sense, to challenge narratives of-ten advanced by post-colonial hegemonies.“ Karam et al. (2021)

The text also suggests that social media platforms offer a space and a voice perhaps in the same way that coffee houses and restaurants before. Could you even say: a digital homebase?

Best,
Noora

Before you go, I would like to ask about your experiences. What kind of experiences do you have about taking part in digital activism? Did you feel you were a part of a community of resistance, a homeplace?

 

References:
  • Anduiza, E., Cantijoch, M., & Gallego, A. (2009). ‘Political participation and the Internet.’ Information, Communication & Society.
  • hooks, bell (2015): Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics.
  • Karam, Beschara; Mutsvairo, Bruce (eds.) (2021): Decolonising Political Communication in Africa-Reframing Ontologies.
  • Mutsvairo, Bruce (2016): Digital Activism in the Social Media Era.