The Guardian: Yoko Ono and the freedom fighters – in pictures
Featuring work by Gerhard Richter, Yoko Ono, William Kentridge and more, Art 19 is an Amnesty exhibition inspired by Article 19, which defends freedom of expression. The show tours Europe next month
Gerhard Richter, Cut, 2018
The German artist’s work and nine others are being sold together in aid of Amnesty, in editions of 100. The sale starts on 1 December at noon central European time from art-19.com. Prices can be found on the website.
Photograph: Gerhard Richter
Yoko Ono, A Piece of Sky, 2019
This work will be appearing at Times Square in New York this week, almost 50 years after Yoko and John bought billboard space there saying: “War is over! If you want it. Happy Christmas from John & Yoko.”
Photograph: Yoko Ono
William Kentridge, God’s Opinion Is Unknown, 2019
“Outside the studio,” says the South African, “the artist needs to behave as a good citizen. Inside the studio, she/he needs to be faithful to where the work leads.”
Photograph: William Kentridge
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, We Are Free!, 2018
The Russian couple, who now live in America, are famed for showing the nightmare of life in the USSR. “Art is a powerful tool,” they say. “And because of this, artists have to be careful how they use their talent and influence.”
Photograph: Ilya and Emilia Kabakov
Kiki Smith, Flowers in the Sky, 2019
The West German-born artist sees in flowers the transitory nature of life and beauty. Smith, who now lives in New York, was first inspired by the bouquets that arrived following her mother’s death.
Photograph: Kiki Smith
Shirin Neshat, from The Home of My Eyes series, 2015-19
“I was born an Iranian,” says Neshat. “My country has undermined basic human rights, particularly since the Islamic Revolution. I have gravitated toward making art that is concerned with tyranny, dictatorship, oppression and political injustice. Although I don’t consider myself an activist, I believe my art – regardless of its nature – is an expression of protest, a cry for humanity.”
Chiharu Shiota, Being Human, 2019
The Japanese installation artist, known for her use of yarn in large-scale works, says: “Art is the soul of society. Those who create art invite others to question their humanity and existence.”
Photograph: Chiharu Shiota
Ayşe Erkmen, BBB Broken Blue Bracelet, 2019
One of Turkey’s leading artists, Erkmen represented the country at the 54th Venice Biennale with a complex water purification unit. This work hints at the aftermath of some sort of attack.
Photograph: Ayşe Erkmen
Rosemarie Trockel, Film Muet, 2019
The German conceptual artist rose to prominence with her 1985 Knitted Paintings, some featuring iconic images such as a Soviet worker with a hammer and sickle. “The minute something works,” she once said, “it ceases to be interesting.”
Photograph: Rosemarie Trockel
Shilpa Gupta, No Title, 2012-19
Text, language and poetry feature strongly in the work of Gupta, who lives in Mumbai. Although her art often touches on political and social histories, as well as borders and dissidents, she prefers the term “everyday art” to “political art”.
Photograph: Shilpa Gupta
