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A review by bacchusvines
The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith
4.5
Content warnings for illustrations dealing with: homelessness, gun violence, racism, water crisis, and murder.
An impactful picture book, The Artivist is a product of being both an artist and an activist. Kids will find the brushstrokes of Nikkolas Smith enchanting but also brutal in its depiction of suffering and love. The illustrations truly carry the picture book, while the words are there to help the reader understand what is being said and what needs to be done. Being an Artivist is more than just creating works of art, it's giving voice to the brushstrokes, film, or lyrics. It's showing others the ways things can be better, if we all work together. What got me the most is how raw I felt after reading. There's so much suffering that as a community, bookish or otherwise, we can listen and project the voices of the ones still fighting while also continue our own battles. It's not easy, but the love will always be there.
An impactful picture book, The Artivist is a product of being both an artist and an activist. Kids will find the brushstrokes of Nikkolas Smith enchanting but also brutal in its depiction of suffering and love. The illustrations truly carry the picture book, while the words are there to help the reader understand what is being said and what needs to be done. Being an Artivist is more than just creating works of art, it's giving voice to the brushstrokes, film, or lyrics. It's showing others the ways things can be better, if we all work together. What got me the most is how raw I felt after reading. There's so much suffering that as a community, bookish or otherwise, we can listen and project the voices of the ones still fighting while also continue our own battles. It's not easy, but the love will always be there.