In Acts of Resistance, Amber Massie-Blomfield writes about the artists who have treated the protest site as their canvas and contributed to movements that have transformed history, from the musicians in Auschwitz to the four-year Siege of Sarajevo, from the to ACT UP’s 1989 invasion of the New York Stock Exchange, to the Niger Delta and indigenous communities in Bolivia. Including stories & artists from across the globe, including Susan Sontag, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Claude Cahun & Theaster Gates, alongside collectives, communities, amateurs and anonymous creators who have used their art as an expression of resistance, this fascinating book asks what is the purpose of art in a world on fire? Why are artists compelled to paint, write, dance and make music, even when the odds are stacked against them? And how can artistic creation be a genuine form of political resistance? Combining cultural criticism, history and memoir, Acts of Resistance is an urgent reminder that art can make a human life more bearable, and can be a means of building the things that a person needs to survive the bleakest circumstances. It is a testament to that idea, and to the people who have risked their lives to prove it is so. While their stories are remarkable, they are also a reminder that each of us can use creativity in defense of our humanity.
