Graphic Design Students’ Book ‘RISE Philadelphia’ Documents George Floyd Protests
August 31, 2020
A person raises their fist in front of the Art Museum steps, calling to the crowd at one of the many Black Lives Matter protests throughout Philadelphia this year. This is the cover of RISE Philadelphia, by Jonai Gibson-Selix ’22 and Andrea Hu ’21 (both Graphic Design). After the tragic murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, protests ignited across the country and not only centered on Floyd, but also on several Black victims of police violence including Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade—and countless others throughout U.S. history. RISE Philadelphia documents the rage, grief and power in the Philadelphia protests through photographs and graphics, with 30 percent of the proceeds going to organizations focused on Black communities.
“This book is just a piece and a part of what occurred,” Gibson-Selix said. “It shows just a piece of where that touched, where that rippled to, and it touched Philly hard.” Both she and Hu attended protests together and decided to document their experiences. Though they took courses together, neither of them had worked together on a project before when Gibson-Selix approached Hu with the idea of creating the book. “I’ve realized that artists are storytellers and archivists and keepers of vital information as far as events and historical moments [go],” Gibson-Selix said.
For both designers, the project highlights the important role artists play in activism. Hu mentioned that many people curate the news they want to see via their social media feeds and believes it can lead to biased information. With photographs, Hu said, people are able to see a moment in history and draw their own conclusions. Hu continued, “There are some photos that just capture raw emotions, and it’s like there’s no need for an explanation because you can clearly see what happens.”
One of the most captivating spreads in the book shows two damaged police vehicles surrounded by protestors. “That spread shows rage,” Gibson-Selix said. “It shows the ongoing fight between [Black communities and the police]. This is not new anger. This has been going on for decades.” But the book doesn’t only highlight the rage felt by Black Americans during this time, it also captures joy to show, in Gibson-Selix’s words, how “multifaceted Blackness is.” One of these joyful photographs shows a Black man and children dancing. Another graphic includes the words “Black joy” written repeatedly in black and yellow, the colors of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Both artists believe that their book can be used as a learning tool, noting that Temple University has recently acquired it for their collections for Philadelphia residents to view. They also hope that readers of the book will be called to fight against racism. “It’s important to incorporate activism into our day to day lives,” Hu said, “not just posting or reposting once on social media.” Hu called the latter activity “performative allyship” and stressed the importance of having conversations with friends and relatives about their own biases. “Don’t make the fight about you,” they continued. “Make it about protecting those who are truly vulnerable.”
Though RISE Philadelphia is currently sold out, you can learn more about the project on Gibson-Selix’s website. To follow the artists, visit the links below.
Gibson-Selix
Hu