Protestors in Myanmar and the Use of Art and Humor @hyperallergic

Emiline Smith writes for Hyperallergic about the ways in which protestors in Myanmar are highlighting their disagreement with the military coup, using art and human. She says in part,

Many of the signs held up by Myanmar’s protestors in the pro-democracy movement are in English, signifying how much the country has opened up to the world after being isolated for decades. The signs also highlight the protestors’ desire to appeal to an international audience. Protestors use wit, humor and innuendo to mock the military junta: For example, several signs use the Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion hit “WAP” as abbreviation for We Are Protesting Peacefully. Other signs read “My ex is bad, but Myanmar military is worse”; “Need soup, no coup”; and “So bad, even introverts are here.” Protestors are using every possible tool to express their freedom and reject the coup peacefully, for example through the hitting of metal pots every night to, in their words, “ward off the devil” by opposing the dictatorship. Photos have been circulated on social media platforms of inventive local grassroots strikes, such as “Garbage Strike,” “Clapping Strike” and “Silent Strike.” They are complemented by other physical forms of creative expression: murals, poetry, video installations, performances, and even so-called Lennon Walls are employed to raise awareness and channel motivation among protestors. The use of art and humor has generated a collective identity in a country marked by social disparity.

Read more of her article here.