ARTivism: Inspiring Activism Through The Arts

We are pleased to update you on some exciting developments for our Artivism program, which continues to harness the transformative power of art to promote human rights and justice. Thanks to your support, we're making significant strides in amplifying voices that champion change.

Event at Articore with ICAAD Co-Founder and Artivist

On April 17th, we were invited to speak at Articore, hosted in collaboration with Redbubble and TeePublic, in recognition of Earth Day and World Art Day. This event featured our remarkable NYC-based cartoonist, TEDx and DEI speaker, and performance artist, Vishavjit Singh, along with ICAAD’s Co-Founder and Advocacy Strategist, Jaspreet K. Singh.

Vishavjit, one of our six Artivists, shared insights from his journey and his work, particularly his acclaimed short animation film, "American Sikh", which has garnered awards and honorable mentions following its World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival last year. This discussion not only offered a deep dive into the intersection of art and activism but also highlighted the personal narratives that drive our commitment to social justice. Jaspreet presented on ICAAD’s projects around the world, and how art combined with social justice engages the public to imagine a more equitable future. 

Art Exhibition and Upcoming Event Featuring ICAAD Artivist Dilpreet Bhullar

ICAAD Artivist Dilpreet Bhullar recently held an exhibition of her photo series in cyanotype which beautifully explores themes of memory and displacement, titled "A Home in the Constant Flux: A Call to the Verb Memory," at Arthshila Santiniketan in Bangalore. Arthshila is a center for visual arts that “inspires people to think, feel and create through immersive spaces which facilitate artistic expression and curate engaging creative experiences.”

Looking ahead, we are excited to announce that Dilpreet will be presenting at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) on May 25, 2024. This upcoming event promises to further engage and inspire audiences, and we warmly invite you to join us in supporting her continued advocacy through art. More information on that event is available here: https://bangaloreinternationalcentre.org/event/a-home-in-the-constant-flux/

Thank You for Your Continued Support

Your support is essential to the success of our Artivism program. It enables us to provide platforms where artists like Vishavjit and Dilpreet can share their powerful messages. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to ICAAD’s mission and look forward to updating you on the further impacts of your contributions.

Thank you once again for standing with us.

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