Online Art

Solidarity with Workers

This artwork depicts the support that many citizens have for those who have been labeled as "essential workers." Thus these essential workers must continue working during this pandemic. A couple of examples include drive-thru workers, grocery store employees, and Amazon employees. These workers have had to compromise their health to continue receiving their salary. This piece demands people to boycott large companies that are mistreating their workers. 

Trabajadorxs

I found this artwork on the Instagram page of a Peruvian clothing brand. The text surrounding the workers says, "We are not heroes. We are workers. We do not need applause. We demand rights." While there is a lot I want to say about this piece, I feel that the artists say perfectly what this piece is trying to capture.

I have translated what they have written, "Although we know that in these moments of a global pandemic the work of the whole front line has been otherwise heroic, this must not make us forget the precariousness and helplessness to which large sections of the population were subjected. Health workers, public cleaning workers, and farmworkers have had to save the situation with poor budgets, constant privatization attempts, and zero support of the state for these sectors. In addition to this in the last few weeks, we have witnessed mass layoffs and suspensions of rights to large sectors of workers who have been left unemployed and without their main source of income. When everything passes, will we continue to applaud or return to indifference?" -@amapolay

Cancel Rent

As mentioned in other art pieces, during this time many people no longer have a job or a stable income they can depend on. This impedes on many people's ability to pay their bills, such as rent. Currently, landlords are being criticized for not being understanding of their tenants' situations and still demanding the same amount of money, knowing the conditions that a lot of people are currently in. Thus, this piece is demanding that rent be canceled because people can't work during this time, and can't pay for their rent, which is something that people shouldn't have to pay in the first place. 

United we Bargain, Divided we Beg

Lastly, I liked this piece because it is calling for people to unite and fight against the systems that are being unfair to people during this time. We should not have to beg for money when we need to buy food or beg to still have a place to live. These unfair institutional systems have come to light more than before, and we should not forget this when this is all over. We need to remember what has happened, refuse the 'normal' we have grown accustomed to, and instead challenge these systems together to enact change.