Shirin Neshat examines the profound impact of authoritarianism on artistic expression, as well as the resilience and resistance shown by artists in the face of adversity in a conversation with Artists at Risk Connection's director Julie Trebault.

Participants:
- Shirin Neshat, Photographer and visual artist
- Julie Trebault, Director of Artists at Risk Connection

This video is a recording from the talk "Challenges Facing Artists in Authoritarian Regimes" held on June 7, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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Octopizzo, a world-renowned musician from Kenya, merges rap and hip-hop with African lyricism. With nearly 5 million followers, Octopizzo is known not just for his music but also for his work as an activist. He uses his platform to speak out against social injustices in Kenya and to raise awareness about issues such as poverty, inequality, and corruption. He often performs at benefit concerts to help support those in need, and he's been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

This video is a recording of Octopizzo's performance on June 7, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information, visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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Art is the most accessible and powerful way to galvanize citizens. Because of this, artists play a pivotal role in catalyzing social change around the world. Our distinguished speakers examine how artists engage with social movements, discuss the risks they confront, and the profound impact of their own work on broader societal shifts.

Participants:
- Samia Halaby, Palestinian-American visual artist, activist, educator, and scholar
- Dread Scott, Visual artist
- Barbara Pollack, co-founder of Art At A Time Like This

This video is a recording from the panel "Artists at the Forefront of Social Movements" held on June 8, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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Despite the great risks, Rania Mamoun and Mai Khoi remained steadfast in their commitment to justice and continue to do so to this day. The two artists speak on creative dissent, the responsibility artists have to stand by social movements with their fellow citizens, and the ways in which they sustain their artivism outside of the country.

Participants:
- Rania Mamoun, Sudanese activist, writer, and novelist
- Mai Khôi, Vietnamese singer, artist, and activist
- Dinaw Mengestu, Novelist and journalist (Moderator)

This video is a recording from the panel "Resiliency in Exile" held on June 7, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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As the 2024 United States election draws near, Nikole Hannah-Jones and Aruna D'Souza discusses the overt role that censorship plays in the political and social realm. In recent years, the trend has been made visible in the form of book bans, “educational gag orders'' spearheaded by right-wing politicians, and exhibition cancellations across the country. This conversation delves into the current trend of censorship in the United States and how it intersects with race, gender, and sexuality.

Participants:
- Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project and staff writer at The New York Times Magazine
- Aruna D'Souza, Editor, writer, and curator

This video is a recording from the panel "Here and Now: Censorship as a Political Tool in the United States" held on June 8, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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Artists and cultural workers have been facing an unprecedented rise in repression, harassment, and persecution by State and non-State actors in recent years. The panelists, diverse in discipline and origin, explore the reality of artistic censorship, specifically delving into how it has affected their livelihoods, security, and safety. The panel will conclude with the artists’ insights on how to counter artistic censorship and to continue creating within a global movement of artists fighting for social change.

Participants:
- Coco Fusco, Cuban-American interdisciplinary artist, writer, and curator
- Khaled Jarrar, Palestinian multidisciplinary artist
- Omaid Sharifi, Afghan visual artist and co-founder of ArtLords
- Octopizzo (Henry Ohanga), Award-winning recording and performing artist, humanitarian, and a budding entrepreneur
- Mari Spirito, Executive Director of Protocinema (moderator)

This video is a recording from the panel "Global Censorship: What It Looks Like, Who Does It, How to Combat It" held on June 8, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information, visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org

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Gender violence and social prejudice remain prevalent as global, intersectional movements demand accountability, justice, and equality. The artists on this panel advocate for the rights, agency, and representations of female and LGBTQIA+ communities by blending their art with their activism. In a conversation with female, nonbinary, and trans-identifying artivists, the panelists share how they resist and challenge patriarchal norms of expression to advance alternative identities and concepts that make the world a safer and more equitable place for all.

Participants:
- Demian DinéYazhi', Indigenous American artist and activist
- Shahzia Sikander, Pakistani-American visual artist
- Lorena Wolffer, Mexican artist and cultural activist
- Jasmine Wahi, Co-Director Project for Empty Space, Visual Activist, Lecturer, Writer (moderator)

This video is a recording from the panel "Is Censorship Discriminatory?" held on June 8, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information, visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org

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Mai Khôi, an acclaimed singer, composer, and activist, rose to fame in 2010 as one of Vietnam's first female songwriters, winning prestigious awards. Disillusioned with government censorship, she entered politics, sparking national debate and meeting with Barack Obama in 2016. Despite facing hardships including concert raids and police detention, Mai Khôi remains dedicated to activism. In 2016, she founded Mai Khôi Chém Gió, blending protest music with traditional Vietnamese melodies. She later joined Seaphony, uniting Southeast Asian ethnic minority musicians. Leading Mai Khôi and the Dissidents, she explores avant-garde jazz and eclectic themes, including protest anthems.Khôi is developing "Bad Activist," a multimedia production advocating democracy. Since 2019, she's resided in the USA, receiving recognition as a resident artist and earning prestigious awards like the 2018 Václav Havel Prize and the 2022 Four Freedoms Award and was Artist Protection Fund alumna.

This video is a recording from the Mai Khôi's performance held on June 8, 2024 at BRIC in Brooklyn and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-june-7-8

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Art censorship is alive and well on social media, where major tech companies serve as arbiters, dictating what content is seen and what is banned or pushed into the digital margins through algorithmic control. This can have dire consequences for emerging artists who use online platforms to build their careers, earn income, and display their art in otherwise repressive societies.

A group of distinguished artists and cultural professionals explore the reality of artistic suppression on social media and the tangible impacts censorship on digital platforms can have on artists' livelihoods, emotional well-being, and free expression.

Participants:
- Elizabeth Larison, Director of the Arts and Culture Advocacy at the National Coalition Against Censorship
- Sibila Sotomayor Van Rysseghem, Founding member of collective LASTESIS
- Jenin Yaseen, Palestinian-American visual artist
- Emma Shapiro, Artist and Editor-At-Large of Don't Delete Art (moderator)

This video is a recording from the panel "Don't Delete Art: Is Social Media Beyond Our Control?" held on May 10, 2024 at the Independent Art Fair and co-organized by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This. For more information visit our website: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/dangerous-art-endangered-artists

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