Resist

Resist is an original artwork created in 2021, during the pandemic. All phases of pre-launch, launch, and the beginning of distribution and deliveries/shipments happened "with masks on".

The motivation that preceded its creation, obviously, came from months of lockdown, associated with the ocean of fake news, anti-vaccine discourse, and the negligent and offensive behavior of the then-leader of the Brazilian executive branch (Jair Bolsonaro).

As a graphic artist since then, both producing art and frequenting the scene, I saw friends, colleagues, producers, owners of concert venues, lighting and sound engineers get sick and, unfortunately, some die from Covid. There were two options: succumb to despair and hopelessness of recovery or use anger and anguish to continue creating.

Resist presents a hand with "7 fingers," as I like to say: 5 in a closed fist, a symbol of resistance, and simultaneously, 2 more in the classic gesture of Heavy Metal. Connecting the dots, it's perseverance in the heavy metal scene. Details of thorns and bindings beneath the palm of the hand highlight the difficulty in overcoming a culture that hinders art, alternatives, and national cultural health. It was important to draw the exposed bones of the arm's anatomy, as the pain was physical, not just mental. Repeating the radius and ulna (bones of the forearm) forming a pentagram just behind the main elements enriches the art, relating it to the 5 elements of life (earth, air, water, fire, and spirit) in an esoteric and pagan interpretation.

The hand-painted typography of the title references the old Sepultura logo from the 80s, with its pointed ends highlighted. Furthermore, the name of the design was clearly inspired by the band's hit "Refuse/Resist".

Graphic background elements, formed by fragments of parts of the art's elements, create a circular aura around the wrist, adding aggression and drama, in the mature sense of the word, to the composition.

The result consists of a front and back design for the shirt, using the same elements but in a different arrangement. This print was the first produced using simulated silk screen printing – a technology for transferring ink to fabric that allows for greater detail in the artwork.