Occupy Speaks Through Image and Music

Art and music have always been the inspiring byproduct and narrator of movements aimed at social change. The Occupy movement is no different, as art becomes a key player in expressing the frustrations, dreams and demands of its participants.

As Michele Elam reported for CNN:

Art has emerged as a major vehicle for expressing the Occupy Wall Street movement.

In addition to news this week that street art from Occupy Wall Street and Occupy D.C. was being collected by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the movement’s Arts and Culture Committee showcased spoken word performances and poetry readings in Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park.

Showcasing, collecting and studying the art of a movement has long been a tradition for the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.

The heart of a movement is revealed in it’s art. LA indy band, Ubyk, a band that did not view itself as radical or even political, was inspired by their experience at Occupy LA. As Shira Tarrant writes, their inspiration results in music that follows in the tradition of Pete Seeger, Michael Franti and Spearhead. Their words tell their story while uniting and inspiring the masses.

I’ve been a pawn and I’ve been a rook
I’ve sat silent as the medicine took
I’ve been excused I’ve been overlooked…

Now we’ve got something to prove
And we haven’t got a thing to lose
We’ve got something to show you
And we haven’t got a thing to lose

When merged with a collection of revealing and inspiring images from the Occupy global, they create a collective narrative, a story of conflict and a diverse movement aiming for liberation. Watch their music video, “Speak (Nothing to Lose)” and pass it ’round.

Photographs courtesy of Sarit Photography. Click here for the complete Flickr stream from Occupy LA.