"A fascinating new exhibition celebrates the most unlikely protest objects. Yet these humble bits and bobs, have helped to win rights, change laws and even topple governments. As co-curator Catherine Flood says, "It is design taken out of the hands of designers." As such, it has a refreshingly frank power, a collection of tools made or redeployed for specific – and often desperate – ends" - (Oliver Wainwright)."We wanted to show the collective power these domestic objects can have when grabbed and repurposed with political intent" - Gavin Grindon (co-curator).
I came across this exhibition when I was searching through the V&A collection for inspiration for my own project and work. It stood out to me because it wasn't anything I had considered before; that it isn't just the presence of humans in a protest environment which brings about social change, even the smallest thing, like a painted poster or a single image can change the mindset of the majority - such as the image of Aylan Kurdi which hugely influenced how Syrian refugees were portrayed in the media.
Unfortunately I was unable to view the exhibition in person, as it was shown earlier this year, however I have found images and articles about the work through research. Something which a number of people picked up on, and which I found particularly interesting was how poignant hand-crafted textiles were found to be in protest movements. Fashion and textiles have throughout time been used to forward particular shifts in society. Viewers found that the contrast of using traditional hand-crafted textiles
in a political environment especially profound. "Some exhibits employ the charm of something woven or crafted, with these, the labour and care taken in making them commands respect and disarms aggression" - (Rowan Moore). "The brightly appliquéd textiles produced by Chilean women living under the Pinochet regime are indicative of the kind of subterfuges required to enable dissent in some circumstances. Traditionally gentle folk arts are quietly subverted to depict scenes of horror: weeping mothers, chained hands, falling doves and the penetrating eyes of the secret police. The panels generated income and solidarity for the women in a period of scrutiny and oppression, but, crucially, they also provided an absorbing activity: “when their hands and eyes were focused on sewing, they felt safe enough to speak and share their lives”. Such textiles possess a careful beauty" - (Shahidha Bari).Often it is these more traditional and crafted pieces which have proved most effective in a protest environment. "Overall one finds that new technology or over-thought gadgets lack the impact of the emotively hand-crafted street puppetry, silk-screen banners and Chilean “ariplleras” patchworks that have become popular worldwide. Mass media may spread the word, but in the streets authority will, on the whole, be better undermined by frivolity than technology" - (Florence Waters).
