Artivism

What a fantastic word. I can’t think of a better way to illustrate social messages and promote positive social change than by ‘artivism’. As I have embarked on this BA in Illustration, I have realised that the art and illustrations that strike me, move me and inspire me the most are those that aim to foster positive social impact. So, in this post which I will endeavour to keep updating with all my favourite artivists and their work, I will be continuing to explore and study them and take inspiration for my own work and in no particular order.

1. Dan Acher

Artivist Dan Acher is from Geneva and has co-founded ‘Happy City Lab‘ which “explores collective spaces, creating situations and events that generate participative experiences. These invite you to break your routine and engage in the present moment”. His vision is to reinvent the city, using interaction and art to make the city more inclusive, safer and build trust and responsibility among its citizens. In this TedX talk that he did in Lausanne, he explains some of his projects, experiments and research. From putting pianos out in the streets of Geneva for anyone to play, to creating communal karaoke and dancing during interactive outdoor cinema experiences and building bonfires where the community can share and burn anonymous secrets, what better way to remind ourselves to get off our smart phones and experience life as it happens. Since they are not traditional ‘pieces of art’ I can show you photos of, the best way for you to understand this is to check out the website or watch the Ted talk.