In modern society, people are faced with issues like social injustices that tend to undermine the value of individuals based on sex, race, or even religion. Social justice arts have been a remedy to help people express and influence the view of society concerning any form of injustice. Several forms of art primarily use the power of imagery and words to contest for change. For example, an artist can use music as a form of engagement to address the current status of the society that requires change or improvement.
An artist Gabriella Wilson released the song called “I can’t breathe” after the mysterious death of George Floyd. In the art, she was advocating for racial justice through music as a medium to influence people. There have been many cases of police brutality that show a high level of social injustices that people should discourage. The title of the song indicates the last statement made by the victims of police brutality.
The work has a significant impact and contribution to society. Most people have become victims of police injustices, and the song demands total accountability from the authority based on the cases. The work led to the formation of the movement called Black Lives Matter which calls for an end to oppressing black people through law enforcement (Clayton, 2018). The art has a high magnitude in addressing and challenging the government and society from the perspective of equality.
The work has a painful aesthetic value as it talks about an issue that several people have lost their lives. It is a sad state of society as the people responsible for protecting lives are responsible for causing deaths. The art reflects the emotional feelings that affected people or communities undergo. It shows some hopelessness as nobody, including the government is reluctant to address the social injustices.
The song inspires one to see people equally irrespective of color and to value one another’s life. Furthermore, it encourages individuals to face fears and express themselves on issues that affect people. The music has never been censored either by the private or governmental body. Government has the right to protect the plurality of the society; therefore, they have the right to edit any form of art that may go against the will or more of a given group of people.
The song prompted people across the world to hold protests against police brutality. It also led to the establishment of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is being used in football and other games (Martin, 2018). This was to express the essence of togetherness and the value of the black community in the world. The work has made the police reduce aggressive law enforcement on people, especially the black community.
The public embraced the art; most people printed the song “I can’t breathe” on their shirts to portray solidarity and togetherness in fighting for change. It was used as the protest anthem to address the police killings in the country. The song properly describes the message and challenges the black community has been facing through law enforcement officers. For example, the lyric “You’re taking my life from me” (Wilson, 2020, 0:51) shows how people have lost their lives due to injustices.
The work qualifies to be an art because it addresses the issue society is facing that affects them. The artist expressed an emotional power through the work, which has brought people together to fight for justice. In the song, she says, “Do not say you do not see color” (Wilson, 2020, 4:04). The song has a positive reflection that encourages everyone to act to bring an end to racism. The work fights for a significant cause of change in the country.
References
Clayton, D. M. (2018). Black Lives Matter and the civil rights movement: A comparative analysis of two social movements in the United States. Journal of Black Studies, 49(5), 448-480. Web.
Martin, F. D. (2018). Humanities through the Arts (10th Ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Wilson, G. (2020). [I can’t breathe] On I Used to Know Her. D’Mile.