Recap on "The Art of Standing" exhibition

 

 

In the most “activist” fashion, artvocate brought over 20 contemporary activist artists on the busiest streets of London (Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square) for a mobile standing exhibition.

The exhibition occupied the front of National Gallery and other iconic locations in London with blindfolded artists standing side by side holding provocative visual arts to bring to life the struggles amongst social movements in Myanmar, Thailand and Hong Kong.

 

Activist artists fled their native countries to escape political persecution

Among those 20 standing in front of the National Gallery was Lumli Lumlong, a pair of contemporary artists from Hong Kong showcased their art pieces - The Brainwashed 洗腦人 & The Publisher 出版人. They fled to the UK after facing political persecution due to the nature of their work.

 

Stand by, stand with, stand against 

For us, “stand” summarises the core value of our platform. Using art as a tool in representing history and showing solidarity in social movements, we stand by our beliefs, stand with the oppressed, and stand against tyrannies.

 

Black bloc inspired by protests and Lady Justice

With all our performance artists dressed in black bloc, we mimicked the outfit used by protesters to conceal their identities and hinder criminal prosecution. The blindfold was inspired by Lady Justice, which represents the idea that justice should be applied regardless to wealth and power.

 

Was it a silent protest, mobile exhibition, flash mob performance, or a party to celebrate freedom? Honestly it is open to any interpretation, just like any art forms. The only certain thing is that the struggles that inspired these artworks are real, way more dreadful than having to stand outdoors for hours during the London winter.