Artists For Palestine
April 30, 2024In October 2023, Artists for Radical Imagination (ARI)— an emerging network of graphic artists working in liberation spaces supported by Forward Together — put out a call for artists to donate their graphics for Palestinian liberation. The result was a collection of vibrant graphics from over 150 artists who expressed the same belief: Palestine will be free.
We sat down with Tesh Silver, a founding member of Artists for Radical Imagination, to learn more about the Artists for Palestine project and the role of art in the movement for liberation.
Tell us more about Artist for Radical Imagination?
Artists for Radical Imagination, aka ARI is an emerging network of artists working in liberation movements, where we can connect and share support, info, skills, resources, opportunities and inspiration to make our work more powerful and sustainable. ARI was created by and for graphic artists from oppressed and visionary communities.
What is the Artists for Palestine project?
Artists for Palestine is a collective of movement visual artists that grew out of the reaction to the ongoing genocide taking place in the occupied territories of Palestine.
What motivated you to be part of Artists for Palestine? How does your artwork contribute to the Palestinian cause?
As a cultural worker, I was compelled to lend my voice to the movement. My art is inherently political as a Black queer femme, so it was an easy transition to make art expressing what I and so many others feel about the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. My sorrow, grief, and love are translated into the pieces I make.
Tell me about the pieces you have created for this project?
I made an initial reaction piece on October 10 that reads “Fight Colonization For A Free Palestine”. I was sure the conflict would be short-lived, but obviously that hasn’t been the case. Later, I learned how other liberatory movements like the Black Panthers and Black feminists like Angela Davis have always been supporters of Palestinian resistance. My response to that education was a piece that reads “Black Feminists For A Free Palestine”, the only piece in the Artists for Palestine collection. I’ve recently made more art and will continue to do so until there is a permanent ceasefire and an end to the occupation.
How does this project contribute to shifting culture and conversations?
Art has always been at the forefront of liberatory movements. It sparks conversations about why something is important and allows voices to be heard without speaking. It also encourages others to become creative in liberatory actions. Maybe you’re not an illustrator, but you’re good at embroidery, or you’re good at making chants for marches or just organizing a group of people. Anything can help to free a people and ultimately free ourselves from oppression. Art helps convey the fact that we’re not alone.
How do you see the art influencing public opinion?
The beauty in revolutionary thinking is that we can imagine the world however we want it to be and make it real, just like the powers that be imagined oppressive systems. Art is the easiest way for people to visualize the new world we want to create.
What role do you believe international artists and culture workers play in raising awareness about the Palestinian cause?
To quote Toni Cade Bambara, “The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.” Artists have a unique ability to make radical imagination tangible for others. Many artists and cultural workers across the globe understand this, and aside from how we make a living, art also contributes to cultural shifts. Palestine, along with other atrocities in Congo and Sudan, has been put on the world stage in part because of artists raising their collective voices.
What future projects or goals do Artists for Palestine have in advocating for Palestinian rights?
There are plans in the works, including creating social media hashtags to keep Palestine at the forefront of the algorithm, and some in-person art-making events.
How can people find out more about you and your artwork?
You can find out more about me and my work on my website at astratesh.com and more than welcome to follow me on Instagram @astratesh.
We want this artwork to make a change in the world! Join us in our efforts to #FreePalestine by downloading the art and sharing it with your community.