An editorial illustration for Dissent Magazine, investigating the collective power of the #MeToo movement. Using visual metaphor, the digital roots of the #MeToo movement were juxtaposed with the systemic, power imbalance it aimed to challenge. Art Direction: Yevhenia Haidamaka
Challenge
Editorial illustration to offer a fresh perspective on the #MeToo movement. Illustration could be a cover illustration or a full page editorial illustration.
Solution
Market research into illustrations on similar subjects revealed a common reliance on abstract silhouettes and “hands on body” imagery, which risked visual fatigue if I continued to develop in this direction. These motifs also tended to generalize the issue, missing the context of the power dynamics mentioned in the article for this illustration. To offer a different approach, I chose to situate the illustration within a corporate setting—drawing from the article’s emphasis on how men in positions of power, particularly bosses, were frequently mentioned in #MeToo revelations. Since the movement gained momentum on Twitter, I used the Twitter birds as a visual symbol for collective voice and digital solidarity. The contrast between the structured corporate world and the organic force of the birds captures how a decentralized, online movement disrupted traditional systems of control and silence.
