Printed in Protest: How I Am Using My Voice in Fashion School to Stand for My Values

Trust between students and professors depends on a delicate balance. Professors are responsible for teaching students how to think through complex issues without imposing their own political beliefs. Students trust professors to act with impartiality and neutrality.

In art school, when an assignment is open for interpretation, there are many routes the mind can take. Creative approaches and executions vary wildly. Each artist brings their own perspective and style. Amid the brainstorming, thumbnail sketches, and first drafts, it becomes essential to stay true to your beliefs. Sometimes that means not just creating a pretty picture to please the crowd.

My recent experience at my university illustrates how easily that balance can break down.

Due to the inescapable nature of traffic, I arrived late to my screen printing class. It was the first day and I walked in mid-lecture. On the board was a video explaining the history of the United Nations. Had I walked into the wrong class? My professor explained that the theme for our first assignment was to answer the prompt: “What the United Nations means to you.”

It was announced that we would be presenting our designs and artist statement in front of the United Nations headquarters. My interest was immediately piqued.

The lecture explained that screen printing has a rich history connected to political and social movements, specifically in the creation of commemorative scarves. There have been numerous methods and color techniques used to create messages through what we wear on our clothes as a form of expression. We looked at examples from world fairs, festivals, and the Olympic Games. Visual messages can be heard when words cannot.

I chose to focus my concept on the United Nations’ founding vision of peace and justice. As a pro-Israel Jew, my relationship to the United Nations had been watching the news and witnessing how their decisions affect the lives of my loved ones in Israel.

I wondered if any of my classmates in the room felt as conflicted as I did. It seems that every time we are met with hope of progress within the United Nations, we are met with a rise in terror attacks rather than diplomatic compromise, and even while the resolutions have historically leaned heavily in the Palestinians’ favor, there has been a constant refusal from that side to accept coexistence with Israel.

How can I make a design celebrating the United Nations when there is so much systemic antisemitism within the UN bodies?

I was left with a decision: create a pretty picture depicting peace, or take a critical stance on this problematic institution through my artist statement. I chose the latter.

It has been more than two years since the October 7th massacre — and two years since the public responded through a rise in antisemitism around the world.

As a Jewish student, I feel this shift every day on campus. It has taught me the effects that silence has in times when voices are so desperately needed. It is for this reason that I felt compelled to focus my design on Israel.

My design’s focus was on the skyline of Jerusalem — the heart of a multicultural land where Israelis and Arabs live side by side. To me, that is a perfect emblem of peace. I paired its skyline with a natural landscape, connecting the land’s past, present, and hopeful future to convey the people’s enduring spirit and lifelong pursuit of peace.

Since the establishment of Israel, it has been under attack. The United Nations has played a crucial role in the history of the region. So, as I reflect on their promise of peace and justice, I must also acknowledge their failed efforts that seem to undermine the very ideals they seek to uphold.

This scarf is a response to that dissonance. It recognizes the ongoing struggle for peace while acting as an urge to return to moral clarity. The UN was born from the dream of a world without war, rooted in freedom and better standards of life and human rights. As their 80th anniversary approaches, may those dreams become more than a distant vision, and shape what lies ahead.

It was clear that the project made some people uncomfortable. This felt inevitable and even necessary. Sometimes the role of art is to unsettle, create controversy, and get people to think. My goal was to offer nuance to the assignment. The conversation that followed the critique was engaged and thoughtful, affirming my goal of sparking the dialogue. This design process showed me the power in being authentic to my values even when a task feels uncomfortable. Own your perspective, and create work that is meaningful to you. Because ultimately, standing firmly in your values is its own form of artistry.

CAMERA fellow Kayla Rubin is an artist and designer studying textile design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, whose creative work explores Jewish identity, culture, and tradition.