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Audacious with Chion Wolf

How protest art aims to "comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable"

By Jessica Severin de Martinez,
Chion Wolf
Published August 19, 2022 at 11:24 AM EDT
Image by Jeff Hong, a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
1 of 14  — Image by Jeff Hong, a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
Image by Jeff Hong, a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
Jeff Hong
Dani Coke is an illustrator and activist representing Black history, racial justice, and social dynamics through easy-to-digest drawings, diagrams, and flowcharts. She’s originally based out of Atlanta.
2 of 14  — Dani Coke is an illustrator and activist representing Black history, racial justice, and social dynamics through easy-to-digest drawings, diagrams, and flowcharts. She’s originally based out of Atlanta.
Dani Coke is an illustrator and activist representing Black history, racial justice, and social dynamics through easy-to-digest drawings, diagrams, and flowcharts. She’s originally based out of Atlanta.
Image by Dani Coke: "Is there ever a good time to touch a black woman's hair without her permission?" (NO).
3 of 14  — Image by Dani Coke: "Is there ever a good time to touch a black woman's hair without her permission?" (NO).
Image by Dani Coke: "Is there ever a good time to touch a black woman's hair without her permission?" (NO).
Used with permission from Dani Coke
Image by Dani Coke: "WORTHY"
4 of 14  — Image by Dani Coke: "WORTHY"
Image by Dani Coke: "WORTHY"
Used with permission from Dani Coke
Image by Dani Coke: "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming" (Romans 8:18).
5 of 14  — Image by Dani Coke: "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming" (Romans 8:18).
Image by Dani Coke: "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming" (Romans 8:18).
Used with permission from Dani Coke
Eva van Kempen is an Amsterdam-based jewelry “artivist” and trained goldsmith who tackles women’s rights, health, and individual freedoms with her jewelry creations, like a crown made out of expired abortion pills, necklaces out of IV tubes, or bracelets out of birth-control pills.
6 of 14  — Eva van Kempen is an Amsterdam-based jewelry “artivist” and trained goldsmith who tackles women’s rights, health, and individual freedoms with her jewelry creations, like a crown made out of expired abortion pills, necklaces out of IV tubes, or bracelets out of birth-control pills.
Eva van Kempen is an Amsterdam-based jewelry “artivist” and trained goldsmith who tackles women’s rights, health, and individual freedoms with her jewelry creations, like a crown made out of expired abortion pills, necklaces out of IV tubes, or bracelets out of birth-control pills.
Eva van Kempen
Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
7 of 14  — Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
Eva van Kempen
Eva van Kempen, Angled Slices, from the Ready-to-Bear series, 2017, medical tubes, silver, freshwater pearls.
8 of 14  — Eva van Kempen, Angled Slices, from the Ready-to-Bear series, 2017, medical tubes, silver, freshwater pearls.
Eva van Kempen, Angled Slices, from the Ready-to-Bear series, 2017, medical tubes, silver, freshwater pearls.
Art - Eva van Kempen, Photo - Hugo Rompa
Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
9 of 14  — Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
Eva van Kempen: Lun/mar/mer/jeu/ven/sam/dim, 2020, bracelet, expired contraceptive pills in packaging, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, (center) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, morning-after pill (expires 02/2023), PVC film, artificial leather, faceted citrine, silk, 14-karat red gold, 18-karat yellow gold, (right) In Case of Emergency, 2019, bracelet, expired abortion pills, PVC film, artificial leather, silver, all from the Planned Parenthood series (2018–2020).
Eva van Kempen
Jeff Hong is a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
10 of 14  — Jeff Hong is a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
Jeff Hong is a Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues.
Jeff Hong
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
11 of 14  — Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Jeff Hong
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
12 of 14  — Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Jeff Hong
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
13 of 14  — Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Jeff Hong
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
14 of 14  — Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Image by Jeff Hong for his series, "Unhappily Ever After".
Jeff Hong

Writer and educator, Dr. César A. Cruz, said, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”.

So on this episode, meet a goldsmith who turns expired abortion pills into jewelry, another artist who uses word art to amplify messages of racial justice, and a cartoonist who puts Disney characters into dire, real-life situations.

GUESTS: 

  • Dani Coke: An illustrator and activist representing Black history, racial justice, and social dynamics through easy-to-digest drawings, diagrams, and flowcharts. She’s originally based out of Atlanta
  • Eva van Kempen: An Amsterdam-based jewelry “artivist” and trained goldsmith who tackles women’s rights, health, and individual freedoms with her jewelry creations, like a crown made out of expired abortion pills, necklaces out of IV tubes, or bracelets out of birth-control pills
  • Jeff Hong: A Los Angeles-based animation artist who went viral for his work, "Unhappily Ever After", where he puts Disney characters into rough environments to make people think about environmental and social issues

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Catie Talarski, Anya Grondalski, and Mira Raju contributed to this show.

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast onApple Podcasts,Spotify,Google Podcasts,Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

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Audacious with Chion Wolf
Jessica Severin de Martinez
Jessica Severin de Martinez is a producer for Audacious with Chion Wolf.
See stories by Jessica Severin de Martinez
Chion Wolf
Chion Wolf is the host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public, featuring conversations with people who have uncommon or misunderstood experiences, conditions, or professions.
See stories by Chion Wolf