How Artists Can Dismantle White Supremacy: Small Strategies for Big Impact
Danielle Evans / WNW Member
Art can’t save the world, or so we’re told. We are told this often and especially when weighing the potentials of a “stable career” against creative fulfillment. And it’s true, no one is curing cancer with a paintbrush, but art transforms culture and serves the noble function of speaking above and beyond an individual perspective. Any one of us can become a conduit for creative insight and global truth.
These days, one truth is glaringly obvious: white supremacy is killing our democracy, our people, our economy. And there is something very specific artists can do about it.
I was educated as an illustrator, therefore my perspective stems from the understanding that illustration is world-building. Everybody world builds. The average human world builds through everyday examples like social media and neighborhoods, but illustrators artfully shape their worlds while inviting others to experience their perspective. Our goal is to embody abstract thought in a digestible visual format. The function of an illustrator's portfolio is to draw an audience into an immersive experience. Of course, there is a trade-off to being a tiny god. We are more susceptible to excluding justice, equity, and other complex issues that don’t fit neatly into our handspan environments. At best we are escapists; at worst we are guilty of living in a self-made bubble while the world at large spins out of control.
And the world is teetering, America most profoundly so. Simply put, we artists need to unite against white supremacy. It has become an ever-growing threat, one we cannot continue to ignore from the comfort of our own studios. Our country and our friends are at risk.
So what can we, the gentle and sensitive, do to combat this threat? How do we wrap our minds around such a vast issue?
“The function of an illustrator’s portfolio is to draw an audience into an immersive experience. Of course, there is a trade-off to being a tiny god. We are more susceptible to excluding justice, equity, and other complex issues that don’t fit neatly into our handspan environments. At best we are escapists; at worst we are guilty of living in a self-made bubble while the world at large spins out of control.”
Say So
First of all and most simply, we artists need to reject white supremacy outright. White supremacy’s ideology poisons everything it touches and relies on hatred, rigidity, and inflexibility, all of the things that art is not. White supremacy also relies on fear, and art as we all know is brave. Art flies in the face of conventionality and illuminates value in the seemingly invaluable truths and people outside of capitalism or classism norms. Art fosters connection and creates equity. White supremacy has no place within our industry and does not promote a healthy, safe, or sustainable community for all. Denouncing white supremacy is a simple, scalable action. Take it to Twitter or privately via text, but make it known that hate has no home here.
Here is the problem with artists refusing to speak up about the heightened urgency surrounding white supremacy. By refusing to speak up, we assume that our ability to work will be negatively impacted by taking a stand. The stand for human rights. The stand for democracy in the tiny worlds we cultivate. In hoping this issue does not affect our work, we are hoping to continue in complacency. White supremacy is abusive, and all abuse thrives on things unspoken so the cycle can continue. The moment abuse is dispelled is a powerful one, and if we all do this together, hatred will struggle to crawl back from the shadows.
Hold Corporations Accountable
How do individual artists hold corporations accountable? This sounds like a David vs Goliath comparison, but it isn’t. Corporations are large groups of people, and the people that hire artists are often artists themselves. They are our colleagues, our friends. Our clients are not our enemies but our cohorts in subverting white supremacy. The economic landscape has been a mixed bag for creatives. Some are thriving and others are scraping by, but regardless of where you find yourself, you wield enormous power.
It is common corporate practice to donate to all political parties during an election; this is a non-partisan gesture and ensures a connection to power à la lobbying. Therefore the fastest way large brands take two steps back from white supremacist groups is with their money. Hallmark requested a refund Missouri based politicians that supported our attempted coup. Major companies like AT&T, Walmart, Delta, and many more have revoked services to various white supremacy groups. It appears blatant white supremacy is not good for business, lol. These companies will continue looking for good press as the year progresses that separates them from white supremacy, and they will look to us, the creative class, for help. Why are we shrinking away envisioning a world without hatred when brands come to us precisely for our expertise in “how things look”? It is part of our job to guide them.
“These companies will continue looking for good press as the year progresses that separates them from white supremacy, and they will look to us, the creative class, for help. Why are we shrinking away envisioning a world without hatred when brands come to us precisely for our expertise in ‘how things look’? It is part of our job to guide them.”
So how do we do this? First of all, we can quietly research where these companies donated money during the 2020 election. Did they endorse anyone who continues to applaud insurrection or conspiracy? Depending on what you find, this can be confirmation to effortlessly continue forward or ask your contact about these findings. Artists often struggle with confrontation of any kind, but it’s helpful to consider topics like these as asking questions rather than pressing for change.
We underestimate our abilities to create change by asking simple questions. You can frame this up to invite pride rather than invoke shame:
“I’m being more thoughtful about taking clients that stand up against white supremacy in 2021. What is <company name> doing to promote equity and safety? Is there any pre-existing marketing around these ideas, and if not, is there a place to discuss this during our project together?”
Even if there’s no direct answer, if a skincare line hasn’t taken time to think about their stand after our country’s rocky democratic start to 2021, the question will hang in the back of their minds. Human beings love to have answers and hate hanging questions; our subconscious minds delight in noodling over solutions. If enough of us commit to asking about client stances, clients will register this data as something important to consider. When we fear being “too political”, we presume there are no good companies out there trying to do honest work with good budgets. Our faith in universal provision and the goodness of people is low. We can raise our expectations a little knowing there are many people like us that envision a more equitable world.
“Human beings love to have answers and hate hanging questions; our subconscious minds delight in noodling over solutions. If enough of us commit to asking about client stances, clients will register this data as something important to consider. When we fear being “too political”, we presume there are no good companies out there trying to do honest work with good budgets.”
Create for Change
Making art is the most natural way creatives can dispel darkness, and the way we create moving forward has changed. Passion projects were very popular in the lettering industry, but at their core were immensely self-serving and had little steam outside of fan service for the creator. Side projects are how we learn skills and hone our concepts. These are necessary creative tools, but we need to expand what kinds of projects deserve our passion. Does world-building mean more inclusive characters and storylines? Is it simply acknowledging that our world is broken and a little crumbled, but as Amanda Gorman said in her inauguration poem “we’re not finished yet”? We can create side projects that demonstrate humor, cleverness, and talent while pointing them towards important issues. Our call to action can be further education, donation, or propping up artists doing justice work rather than dropping our soundcloud. We can both do more and be ourselves.
White supremacy loves concepts like perfection, uniformity, zero-sum-gain, and silence. On an individual level, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to release our need to be perfect, conforming, competitive, and complacent. We can hold ourselves accountable for turning a blind eye and course-correct right now. And we can celebrate creators who have been doing this work and commit to learning from them. Imagine if industry leadership was based on community impact rather than follower counts. White supremacy uplifts mediocrity. We can commit to being exceptional with our art and how we build our creative lives. Exceptionality feels like a heavy expectation but looks like excellence on a day-to-day. Can we commit to being excellent, bringing our best selves to the workbench? Yes, we can.
We have to ask ourselves why we (especially white creatives) could avoid being politically minded in the first place. Fear and discomfort are fair feelings. I personally chose to avoid shame around asking why. We had our reasons, our shortcomings. We are stronger now, brave enough to ask these questions. Those who spoke against white supremacy prior to this collective shaking have paid the price. But that is the past. We can choose to ensure that stays in the past. Art may not be able to change the world, but it can be a salve on a bleeding society. It is a portal to a better tomorrow, and all of us hold the key.
WNW Member Danielle Evans is an art director, lettering artist, speaker, and dimensional typographer. She’s worked with the likes of Disney, Target, the Guardian, PWC, (RED), McDonald’s, Aria, Condé Nast, Cadillac, and would love to work with you. Subscribe to her substack here.
Header Illustration by WNW Member Pierre-Paul Pariseau