ARTivism: Inspiring Activism Through The Arts

It was a busy end to the year for our Artivism initiative!

In October, as part of Global Diversity Awareness Month, we collaborated with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP's New York office for a special showcase of Dicta – a legal poetry collection by ICAAD artivist Harbani Ahuja that explores the gap between law and justice in key U.S. Supreme Court cases through history.

Harbani read a selection of poems from her collections on Immigrant Rights, the Rights of Black People, and Women's Rights, and previewed a poem from her forthcoming collection on the Right to Love. To view Dicta virtually, visit the interactive exhibit.

Since 2014, Manatt has been a valued ICAAD partner, providing us with pro bono resources to advance human rights globally. As a sponsor of our Artivism initiative, it was great to come together to share Harbani's inspiring work for an evening of art and conversation. Check out this video explaining how we work with Manatt to advance activism through the arts.

In November, we were thrilled to support Artivist Dilpreet Bhullar as she launched her new photo series, A Home in the Constant Flux: A Call to the Verb Memory, at the Simurgh Center in New Delhi. The central idea of the photo series is that during migration of people across geographies, the objects of love and necessity undergo the arduous ordeal, and that these, bearing the patina of age, create a desire to develop an understanding that personal histories are not isolated from the political selves. The photo documentation of the object of the refugees – Afghanis, Rohingyas and Tibetans, who are currently inhabitants of New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir – along with the personal anecdotes recorded, traces the long history of India rooted in a diverse social milieu.

"This photo series attempts to let the refugees take a step back into the past in the hope of emancipating both themselves and viewers from the conventional framework of concepts and categories," said Dilpreet. "The series is situated in crucial intersections of liberal economy and global identity, and opens up the space to ruminate upon the fragility of ideals in terms of inclusion, empathy and care." 

At ICAAD, we believe that the arts play a critical role in building solidarity, challenging harmful narratives and supporting key advocacy objectives. Thanks to your support, we are able to continue working with resident artists to promote a more equitable future. 

Watch this space for new virtual galleries coming soon!

Links:

• Visit the virtual exhibit for Dicta
• Read about Dilpreet's new collection
• Explore ICAAD Artivism

Exciting news! We've recently released a new public arts project by one of our resident artists that demonstrates how colonialism has been, and continues to be, the major cause of the climate crisis. 

Through a collection of thought-provoking paintings and stories, the project aims to raise awareness about the ongoing human rights violations that have contributed to the climate crisis while highlighting the need for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future.

You can view the collection through our virtual gallery.

“Far too often, we see the climate crisis framed as a matter of carbon emissions that we can compensate or offset our way around,” shared the artist. “But the colonial dimensions of the climate crisis cannot be overlooked. I wanted to create a series of paintings that make explicit the link between colonialism and the climate crisis, and also point to indigenous perspectives that dominant culture excludes.”

At ICAAD, we believe that art plays a crucial role in inciting social change. We hope this exhibit will inspire others to think more deeply about the connections between colonialism, climate change, and community. 

The paintings have already been on display in Bangalore, receiving national acclaim. Now, the collection is accessible to a global audience. We encourage you to visit the online exhibit and share your reflections!

“We need stories that point us to a whole other way of relating to the earth, not as a bunch of resources but as a web of relationships. And that our innate sense of awe and reverence for life stands in direct opposition to the colonizing impulse that has brought the climate crisis to our doorsteps”, stressed our resident artist. “That is what I’ve tried to share with this project.”

We hope you enjoy the collection, and we thank you for your support as continue to build connections and solidarity through the arts. We couldn't do it without you.

Links:

• Visit the virtual exhibit
• Explore ICAAD Artivism