#MyFreedomDay Art of the Week
This week is a special one for our weekly ‘Art of the Week’ series at ARIS. In the last few weeks, we only advertised one Artwork of the week to showcase. This week, with ‘My Freedom Day’ coming up, our students and all staff stand up against Modern Day Slavery.
As the day of March 14 nears, we want to showcase our stance through Art. Our students have previously and also specifically for the cause of ‘My Freedom Day’ have illustrated, drawn and painted art that have demonstrated strong messages of contempt towards Child Trafficking, Slavery, Injustice and the Lack of freedom.
To showcase a few, we bring you a painting at ARIS that was inspired by the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ online campaign against the Boko Haram, an Extremist Islamic Terrorist Group. 276 Students in 2014, were kidnapped from school. Terrorism, Gender violence and Kidnapping is probably the most brutal form of infringement of Human Rights and all around ‘Un-freedom’ there is, and this painting does not shy away from demonstrating that through one Girl’s haunting eyes.
Another interpretation to look at could also be in the eerily similar haunting and haunted eyes as the National Geographic photograph titled ‘Afghan Girl’ of an Afghani refugee in Pakistan. Both bring to light human rights issues, children’s rights issues, the injustice and lack of freedom (or rather modern day slavery).
Other artworks are from an Art Competition previously held for students to draw about Child Trafficking and Slavery. One of them says “These people wish they were as free as birds” which is self-explanatory in itself as it shows a Shopping Cart with a person in it, showing a human being as a commodity. In the background of the picture, ill treatment is also drawn as someone is seen whipping people walking behind a truck.
Another one depicts a warehouse with a big sign stating ‘Children for Sale’ and a truck loading in Children with another sign saying ‘Children for Sale’. The haunting issue of Child Trafficking is not masked by any means in this satirical Pencil drawing.
Lastly, one of the Artwork represents a girl with her arms tied behind her back to a heavy metal object, with her mouth taped shut and her eyes tearing up. This girl no longer has a name or an identity, autonomy of individuality and identity that comes with freedom is ‘taped over’ by a Serial number, turning her into a commodity.
On a more recent note with reference to the artwork and the issue depicted is the one that was exhibited by Elikem, an IBDP2 Art Student, at the IB Art Exhibition. It was a reference to the Lybian Slave trade, drawing attention to the gravity of the issue and how much the displaced migrant groups need to be aided. It represents a very clear and concise message of being free of bondage and captivity. (For more on her Artwork, please see previous Art Exhibition Article)
Though painful and haunting illustrations, we feel that our students should be aware about such issues and develop their own viewpoints that they can express through essays, poems, artwork and so on. A big part of becoming Global citizens is to know about grave issues, human rights and the value of freedom for everyone, no matter their race, class, religion or creed. With this, stay tuned for ARIS taking a stance against ‘Ending Modern Day Slavery’ on Wednesday March 14th 2018.
