Graphic designers share illustrations and resources in support of Black Lives Matter
Graphic designers are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and current protests, sharing illustrations and links to resources that people can use to help others and educate themselves. We've rounded up just a few of the many artworks created to spread the message.
Worldwide, people are joining marches in solidarity with protestors in America condemning the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black men and women who have died at the hands of police officers in the US.
Floyd was killed by officers in Minneapolis on Monday 25 May. Just one of the four men involved in the incident – Derek Chauvin – has been charged with third-degree murder, while the others have been fired.
As protests continue, illustrators and artists have used their talents to create visual reminders of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as using their platforms to spread information on how to help.
This includes publicising various charities and funds that people can donate to, petitions they can sign, as well as other resources like books and articles that non-people of colour (POC) can use to educate themselves on the issues.
"Illustrators hold a responsibility not only to be aware of the lack of diversity within mainstream media but also to strive to create representational multicultural artworks that create positive change," said artist Harriet Lee-Merrion.
Here are 17 artists using their work to support the Black Lives Matter movement:
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British data journalist and writer Mona Chalabi has created a series of illustrations outlining the statistics of POC killed by police officers in the US.
Chalabi has also used her work to encourage people to support black-owned businesses, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Creative duo Sacrée Frangine, composed of Célia Amroune and Aline Kpade, has designed a series of collage-like illustrations of figures with the words "black lives matter", "black children matter" and "black futures matter" written across their faces in place of features.
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This image by Korean-American illustrator Courtney Ahn has been widely circulated across Instagram, alongside a post titled A Guide to White Privilege that the artist published earlier this year in February.
Sharing her thoughts on white privilege and systemic racism, Ahn's post reads: "White privilege doesn't mean your life hasn't been hard, it means your skin tone isn't one of the things making it harder."
Her post also includes examples of how people can use their white privilege to help, including listening to and amplifying the voices of POC, as well as confronting racial injustices.
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Black Latin American artist and author Reyna Noriega used her art to show two different sides of the same scene in her duo of illustrations posted to Instagram in support of racial equality.
"The world is bleeding," reads her caption. "We have a gaping hole that can't be filled with anymore bandaids. We need to confront this issue head on."
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North Carolina-based illustrator Brandy Chieco created an artwork titled Enough is Enough to support the protests against racial inequality.
Chieco has made prints of the artwork as well as t-shirts and stickers featuring it available to purchase, with all proceeds going to the Black Lives Matter organisation.
"White and white-passing people: If you want to help but you’re not sure how, start by educating yourself. Knowledge is power," reads the artist's Instagram post.
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Floyd and Taylor take centre stage in Berlin-based illustrator Laura Breiling's works, which she created in support of the Minneapolis protests.
The drawings depict the two victims individually against backdrops of plants and flowers, alongside the hashtags #sayhisname and #sayhername.
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Paris-based graphic designer Quentin Monge created an illustration of two figures, one white and one black, embracing one another, alongside a caption stating that "there will never be enough" Black Lives Matter posts.
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Swedish illustrator Petra Eriksson posted a silhouette of a side profile set against a stark red background on her Instagram page to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
"This is just another image in the hope that more people will be seen and heard," the caption reads. "Hope that we will learn to treat each other better, be better allies and support each other towards a more equal and just world."
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Ashley Lukashevsky created an image of a roaring fire with a raised fist icon coming out as smoke to show her "solidarity with Minneapolis protestors and those defending Black lives everywhere."
"The racist, classist, colonialist institutions are burning," the caption reads. "Let them burn so that we can rebuild a world where black lives are celebrated, where black joy can thrive, where we all untie ourselves from the heavy armors of white supremacy. In the ashes we will find liberation."
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British artist Harriet Lee-Merrion used her work to address how racial inequality is reflected in the creative industry.
In addition to creating an illustration of a black man with symbols of peace printed across his hair, she linked to a blog post she has written about the importance of illustrators in depicting underrepresented minorities.
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Liverpool-born illustrator Matt Blease kept it simple with his sketchy graphic, which depicts a raised fist being held up in the air by a group of five people.
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This Belgium-based illustrator, who goes by the name Worry Lines, also used their characteristically simple drawing technique to depict the different ways that people can "show up" for the Black Lives Matter movement.
This includes joining the protests, making donations, sharing the message both on and off of social media, and learning more about the issues.
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British artist Reuben Dangoor drew handcuffs around the fingers of a hand making a peace sign as a comment on the nature of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter riots, which are seeing many protestors being arrested.
The words "no justice no peace" are printed in capitals against the background – a popular rallying cry used during protests.
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Australian designer Chloe Bennett, who goes by the Instagram name YeahYeahChloe, offered another visual reminder to her Instagram followers to support the Black Lives Matter movement, by depicting limbs of all skin tones wrapped around lettering that spells out "no justice no peace" in capitals.
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Brooklyn-based illustrator Sarah Wasko used her work to bring light to black trans people who have been murdered as a result of police violence.
Her drawing depicts transgender woman Nina Pop, who was found stabbed to death in her Missouri apartment on 3 May 2020, and Tony McDade, a transgender man who was shot and killed by police in Florida on 27 May 2020.
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Paris-based illustrator Aurélia Durand used her typically vibrant style to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The artist also recently illustrated the book titled This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 lessons on how to wake up, take action, and do the work, by Tiffany Jewell.
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Kristen Barnhart, who is based in Texas, shared an illustration of a floating figure surrounded by stars and a speech bubble saying "Do Something!"
In her caption, Barnhart linked to accounts of figures she has found useful as sources for learning about racial inequality, including Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, Akilah and Ericka Hart.