Art for the Collective Memory of Protesters

The focal point of wars, to a large extent, also encompasses cultural arenas, since each side seeks to assert the superiority of its own identity over the other in order to establish greater legitimacy before the world, and particularly before the opposing side. Here, artistic production becomes a central practice. Murals, songs, performances, and graffiti inscribe narratives of struggle and hope into everyday life. Art can have effects that both undermine the enemy’s morale and, through propaganda, counter the other side while constructing a narrative that resists repression. These narratives motivate people to participate in the field and defend what they believe in, serving as a symbolic archive of the hardships the people have endured and acting as a resource for collective memory. Many times, artworks are displayed directly on the battlefield, while at other times, memory persists in the battlefield through them.