자유 (Freedom)

October 2021 - mixed media

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For this piece, I wanted to create something primarily inspired by the growing societal unrest in the black lives matter community. I’m not one to go out and protest myself but I still strongly empathize with their causes and I believe images made within Photoshop and other image editing tools can hit just as strongly as a protest. The photos I used were from BLM protests and rallies last year, using various effects to make it appear like an old, pulpy propaganda poster. I also used the Korean translation for freedom, “Jayu” (자유). I decided on this because of the growing popularity of Korean dramas in America like Squid Game. While one may not be able to translate the word themselves at a glance, I feel as though the imagery present gives enough of an idea as to what it means.