In the heart of Aberdeen, an evocative installation titled “A Silent Demonstration” by the artist Know Hope, also known as Addam Yekutieli, offers a profound commentary on the state of the world today. This piece, curated by Nuart Aberdeen, serves as a poignant reflection of our collective disillusionment and a beacon of hope amidst pervasive darkness.
Yekutieli’s work is a reaction to the growing disillusionment he feels, spurred by the violence and societal desensitization that have become alarmingly normalized over recent months. His piece speaks to the horrors that unfold under our watch, the moral erosion that allows manipulation and propaganda to flourish, and the silence that facilitates the actions of war criminals and fundamentalists. This silence, he argues, fills voids that threaten our future and allows the insidious advance of fascism to go unchecked.
Faced with an abyss that seems to deepen and widen daily, Yekutieli expresses a sense of futility in writing and making art. However, this perceived futility is precisely what propelled him to engage with the local community in Aberdeen, turning their experiences of disillusionment and hope into the central theme of his installation. He collected stories from Aberdonians that touched on a wide array of human experiences—from feelings of social inadequacy and the significance of family, to historical struggles such as The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa.
These personal narratives were transformed into large banners, creating a tapestry of voices that collectively form a broken poem. This poem, infused with tones of despair interspersed with glimmers of hope, captures the complexity of the human experience. It serves as a reminder that even in periods of severe injustice, history has shown that there are always pathways to a better future.
In Yekutieli’s vision, it is crucial to maintain and cultivate a persistent belief in the possibility of another, better world, despite the oppressive reality that can make such optimism seem naive. This belief is not just a passive hope but a call to action—to fight for this better world with every fiber of our being.
“A Silent Demonstration” is, in essence, a protest. Unlike the loud cries of demonstrations that often fall on deaf ears, this installation is a form of silent protest. It stems from disillusionment but is deeply rooted in hope. The installation, displayed on an abandoned building, resembles white flags—symbols of a shared plea for peace and a better future. It is a silent yet powerful demonstration, embodying the resilience and determination to envision and strive for a world that transcends the injustices of the present.
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