This makes me feel Connected Delighted Heard at an Cultural / Public scale
Black Outdoor Art
A street art campaign in the UK created in order to highlight Black issues and amplify the voices of Black creatives.
Launched and curated by designer Greg Bunbury and hosted by Brotherhood Media in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, Black Outdoor Art is a social initiative in which artists can express their sentiments about the Black experience through street art. Artists and designers can request to be a part of the initiative. Photos of their work are showcased on instagram with the hashtag #blackoutdoorart. Bunbury’s goal is for this project “to inspire discussion, activism and change.” Since the work is displayed outdoors, the project facilitates direct engagement between the Black artists featured and a public audience. The works address topics related to racial inequality and the diversity of Black culture, encouraging viewers to think about their prejudices and have important conversations. They also are a public expression of art that demonstrate the power of creative action in addressing social issues. The inclusion of social media in the project further extends it to a global audience, and Bunbury aims for the locations of the project to spread throughout the UK and the world.
Contributor notes
What is surprising, refreshing, most interesting?
A particular work that I’m drawn to is titled “White Space” and reads in small black text on white background, “This is how it feels, to be black in a white space.” The use of metaphor as well as the fact that the small text makes the viewer have to stop and look closer at the work is what I think makes it very effective.
Key Insights? What can we learn from this?
The inclusivity of different types of creatives in the project allows for a diverse array of work that make an impact. The scale of the works shown is also significant. I think for our class project we can look to this project for inspiration, and think about what will catch viewers’ attention while expressing topics that are of importance to us.