Art, Literature, and Dissent: A Survey on Representations of Resistance in Contemporary Creative Works

Abstract

This survey explores the dynamic interplay between art, literature, and dissent in contemporary creative works produced between 2020 and 2025. In an era marked by intensifying sociopolitical upheavals, from authoritarian governance and racial violence to environmental collapse and digital surveillance, creative expression has emerged as a powerful medium for articulating resistance. The global rise of digital activism and movements such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and climate justice campaigns has reinvigorated interest in how artists and writers confront systemic injustice, reclaim marginalized narratives, and foster collective solidarity. Within this evolving landscape, contemporary creators are innovating across mediums visual arts, literary texts, digital installations, performance, and hybrid forms to address the complex intersections of identity, trauma, power, and memory. The study investigates the multifaceted representations of dissent, contextualizing them within aesthetic, cultural, and political frameworks. Drawing on current scholarly research and critical theory, the survey examines how artistic and literary works function not only as reflections of resistance but also as active agents in shaping discourse and inciting change. It foregrounds key themes such as marginality, social inequality, decolonization, and freedom of expression. The methodology adopts a qualitative synthesis of peer-reviewed academic sources, case-based thematic analysis of representative works, and a comparative study of regional and cultural variations in resistance narratives. Key findings highlight the rise of augmented reality protest art, the resilience of postcolonial and feminist literature, the political potency of graphic novels, and the growing role of creative pedagogy in cultivating critical consciousness. By situating these practices within broader debates on surveillance, censorship, and the commodification of dissent, the paper underscores the enduring relevance of creative mediums as tools for critique and transformation. Ultimately, this survey contributes to a deeper interdisciplinary understanding of how resistance is encoded, visualized, and disseminated through contemporary creative practices.