Instagram artists have begun using their art to participate in social activism during the pandemic when physically attending protests has become difficult
We have reached a point in our lives where everything has become politically charged. With issues constantly arising and restrictions on how dissent can be voiced during this pandemic, artists have begun making their art political and amplifying their voice through their art. Instagram has become a news source and a developed substitute for the voice that would otherwise be on the streets. These Instagram artists are incredibly passionate about their art and expressive in using this device to declare their politics and were keen to share what they think of political art, especially in the time of a pandemic when physically attending protests has become difficult.
Rahee Punyashloka (27), the artist with the popular art page on Instagram (@artedkar), spoke about how their identity defines the art they put out on a vast platform. “I literally market myself as a “Dalit artist,” despite my multifarious interests, precisely because there is such an enormous void of representation from my people.” The immense ground that needs to be covered by the over-representation of upper caste and upper-class elites compared to the few Dalit artists inspired them to pursue this field of art. They believe that although they aren’t extremely political artistically, the bold expression of the truths about their culture and community is deemed overly political in the public sphere, and the cultural milieu is more a commentary on the limitations of the zeitgeist than on their practice. They wish to convey Dalit expression’s articulation in all its vibrance and complexity since this platform has helped them gain solidarity with a wide array of Dalit-Ambedkarite followers who, conversely, look up to them to visualize their infinitely rich cultures in newer ways.
Social media has transformed the youth’s ability to build activist movements online
Amneh Shaikh Farooqui (41), the author of a published book, “Fearless” a collection of inspiring stories of women from Pakistan (@fearlessthebookpk), and the illustrator of her book Aziza Ahmad (27), a Communication Design student in Europe, were eager to talk about why they chose to be political in their art fields. “I’ve always been political, so I’ve always made art that’s political. I believe that the personal is political, so all choices, even (or especially) the ones you make in your art, are informed by and project your politics,” says Ahmad when asked why she thinks political art is necessary. Both illustrator and author seem to share the same views. “The American political scientist Harold Lasswell offered a more insightful definition: ‘Who gets what, when, and how.’ How can anyone be disconnected from that?” says Farooqui.
Political art, or rather art (of any form), can be deemed necessary because we have found ourselves in a time when the unfairness of inequality affects us tremendously. With the significant dependency on online platforms that have been developed, it’s essential to keep adding art in these spaces that can remind us of our place in a greater community and our responsibilities toward each other when physically attending protests becomes difficulty.
