How Intrinsic is it to Have ‘WRITTEN Signs’ to protest? What about ‘WORDLESS’, ‘NON-VERBAL Signs’?

h. nazan ışık—

15 October 2017—

Let’s start with a quote.

“One could also argue that the photographs without signs mostly fall in the category of portraiture,” said a friend who saw some of these pictures in one of my previous writing.

I was a little confused about what precisely ‘the photographs without signs’ means. To me, every image has a sign or signs. It could be ‘written signs’, or ‘wordless’, ‘non-verbal signs’ such as drawings, symbols, gesture, posture, position, etc. But every photograph has a sign.

So I decided to rewrite it, and even add more ‘Without Written Signs’ pictures.

What do you think? Are these pictures in the category of portraiture, if yes, for what / of what?,

President Trump is in NY: 14 August 2017.

Donald Trump came to New York to stay in his Trump Tower residence for the first time since the inauguration of Trump as the 45^th President of the United State.

There was a big protest near Trump Tower.

Protesters had written-signs and were chanting.

A ‘NO’ sign, and a ‘wordless’ cutout caricature of President Donald Trump in front of Trump Tower.

I like ‘written signs’ with minimum words. Like just “NO” or “FU TRUMP”! Thanks to some American movies and rap music that made FU (F**k you) very familiar one. If one doesn’t speak that language can still understand the message.

And, at some moments one needed no written signs to get the message.

Then I saw this face, a heart shape painted in white.

She was like a mime artist, the expression on her face, her eyes were telling something, more than something it was, a story without saying a word. She did have a sign in her hand, but did she really need it?

I can call this image a picture of “A Book” cover.

Then I saw a teardrop on this person’s face. She was carrying a sign too.

Did she really need a written sign? Teardrops of ‘Stars and Stripes’ were simple, yet powerful enough.

I like the quiet ones. Make you think more, go deeper, at least, makes me do that….!

What shall I call this picture? A portrait of “The Story Beneath the “Crying ‘Stars and Stripes’”?

NYC Women’s March: 21 January 2017.

A crowd gathered at Grand Central Terminal to march.

‘Pussy hats’ were everywhere.

Some spectators with pink headscarf, were supporting…!

Two marchers were protesting in front of Victoria’s Secret 5thAve. Flagship store, with, they said, their creation of “pussy hat”

Again no written sign! Well, of course, drawing is a sign. But it is definitely not a sign with words.

“ The idea came to me this morning, and just painted it. It is not completely dry yet, “ she said.

Day After Election, Protesting President-Elect Donald Trump: 9 November 2016.

In the morning, a man was expressing his feelings.

And he wasn’t the only one.

In the evening it changed, 5^th Ave was like a ‘River of People’ and became a ‘Sea of People.’ Thousands of protesters filled the Avenue.

Some protesters preferred sitting protest. Very quiet it was, no chanting. They just sat very quietly, very peacefully with no written signs.

And some preferred vocal one, but didn’t need a ‘WRITTEN sign’ to get their message out. They were loud enough that one can even hear their voice by looking at a picture.

And she, did she really need anything, any WRITTEN sign?

I call this series “Protests Without WRITTEN Signs”.

Or, shall I call it “Protests with WORDLESS Signs” series?

or “Protests With NON-VERBAL Signs” series?

NKENdiKEN

NEWS/HABERLER

How Intrinsic is it to Have ‘WRITTEN Signs’ to protest? What about ‘WORDLESS’, ‘NON-VERBAL Signs’?