Social media is making more of a statement than ever before. This generation is not taking anything lying down, which has seen many creatives take to Instagram to not only push the message of equality, and elevate BIPOC artists, but do so in a way that’s as intrinsically intriguing as it is informative.
Something to remember: supporting the work of Black artists means more than simply sharing a post. It’s the ongoing and intentional process of accountability. Look to give these creatives a platform, especially the emerging and local artists in your own community.
1. Sheila Janet @butterscotsch_isle
A visual artist and creative director depicting Black beauty. Her Rebirth of Venus has gone on to be re-imagined by illustrators globally as an image for the current cultural climate.
2. Nichole Washington @nicholawola
This mixed-media artist creates work that looks to the healing power of symbols. In one post she states that they, “are used as a secret form of communication and also as protection.”
3. Nourie Flayhan @nouriflayhan
The Lebanese illustrator and fashion favourite has been creating works surrounding the recent happenings in America, as well as highlighting the work that needs to be done here in the Arab world too.
4. Jon Henry @whoisdamaster
A New York-based artist whose 2014 series of photographs, The Stranger Fruit, ignited conversations, and is still very much poignant today.
5. Abdullah Al-Ameeri @digitalabdullah
A wordsmith and photographer who has taken to Instagram to share his art and reflections on being a Black Arab man today – the Boy on Fire poem is particularly powerful.
6. Zanele Muholi @muholizanele
This South African artist uses post-production to darken the colour her subjects’ skin, challenging notions surrounding Black beauty and intersectional feminism.
7. Linnet Panashe Rubaya @cigherette
A British self-taught artist whose work articulates the Black modern narrative. She says in an Instagram caption: “Not confronting the conversations that you don’t understand and/or your own perspective, is to stand on the side that is against progress – political or otherwise.”
8. Marc Clennon @mark.c
This New York-based creative has been on the streets, capturing real moments and emotions during the recent protests. His image of a man outside The Trump Tower was seen all over Instagram.
9. Ilyes Griyeb @ilyesg
Ilyes is a French-Moroccan photographer who creates images depicting Black youth in his most recent series, and is selling the prints to raise funds to fight racism.
10. Aline + Célia @SacréeFrangine
A creative duo whose illustration work has seen them go on to collaborate with the likes of Penguin Books on a cover for The Colour Purple. In recent weeks, they’ve turned their attention to the recent movement.
Photos: Supplied
