ARTIST: D’ANGELO SEPTEMBER
COUNTRY: SOUTH AFRICA
MATERIALS USED: ADOBE ILLUSTRATORS, ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
I believe that there are both positive and negative aspects one can draw from the pandemic we face.
I feel the pandemic has allowed me to be conscious of the true grit and bravery of the work carried out by individuals in the realm of healthcare. The stories of tirelessly working day in and day out to fight the spread of the virus is truly inspiring. In my world view, I see them as the heroes of an action movie. I believe the illustration provides that aesthetic through the hero poses and the dramatic sunset. The syringes correlate to the identity of health care workers.
However, there is a dark side that exists. I believe society and myself question the intentions of the South African Defence Force (and the South African Police Service) due to reports of brutality. The degree of hurt and pain administered by the SADF results in the assault, the murder, the discharge of firearms, and rape of South African citizens. The idea of being subject to this treatment has ignited a deep sense of fear within myself. As a result of this, soldiers would have guns, but I replaced them with syringes as a plea to our authorities. The powers should implement methods of enforcing the rule of the lockdown regulations in South Africa without infringing on the human rights of all citizens as stipulated with The Constitution.
Altogether, I believe real change comes from voices in all shapes and forms. Art is inclusive of this ideology as artists along a broad spectrum use their talents to voice their opinions and the ideals they want society or institutions to hear. The powers in question may challenge the ideas of art and the messages behind them. Yet, artists go against the grain to voice what they want in this world by creating thought-provoking content and showing resilience towards those who disagree or resist their notions.
