Dr. Brennan Jacoby comments on the new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and causes worth fighting for

Brennan Jacoby

A couple of weeks ago, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London opened an exhibition curating a century of activism. A World to Win: Posters of Protest and Revolution is a haunting collection of visual calls for change. While the pieces in the show speak out against a variety of antagonists, ranging from political parties to social stereotypes and agricultural practices, they present a shared implicit message: an injustice is happening, has happened, or will happen, and something must be done.

At first glance, A World to Win can seem dark and lacking in hope. One poster depicts a skull worked into the logo of a scandalised brand. Another has a photo of corpses as its main focal point. Not every item is as graphic as these, but most are equally strong in eliciting a response from the viewer. It seems clear that the artists involved care more about their messages being received than they do about their audience retaining composure.

Alongside the severity of the V&A's new exhibition, there is something inspiring, endearing and even hopeful about these protest posters. They imply that we - anyone with eyes to see - need not settle for less than flourishing lives. The graphic images of atrocities make a claim against the perpetuation of that which they portray. They suggest a hope that life can be better.

You don't have to be a Christian to access the optimism underlying A World to Win. However, I believe that the hope implied in the show may be especially interesting for Christians. After all, one major element of the Christian faith is that while the ongoing effects of sin are real, they need not be our primary reality. As Jesus said, he came so that we - everyone - might have life, and have it to the fullest (John 10:10). While that 'fullness' will not be without struggle, I take it to be incompatible with settling for injustice and corruption. On this interpretation, both the Gospel and calls for activism, like those on show at the V&A, assert that life can be better.

It's tempting to tolerate challenges that seem overwhelming. We may prefer to avoid conflict at home, in the workplace, even at church. But A World to Win reminds its audience that there are causes worth fighting for, and against, and that being disturbed by a message, or an image, can be a small price to pay for pursuing a better life.