Fahmi Reza, a Malaysian political graphic designer, will be delivering a talk on his journey as an artist and activist or, in his words, "a visual activist." Fahmi rose to fame in 2016 for his work depicting Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak as a clown, in protest of the 1MDB corruption scandal. When he is not releasing regular content providing visual commentary on Malaysian politics, he makes street art and documentary films. His Ten Years Before Independence, a film that won "Most Outstanding Human Rights Film" at the 2007 Freedom Film Fest, tells the often-untold story of how the political left contributed to Malaysia's struggle for independence. In retaliation for his disruptive work, he has been arrested multiple times for breaking censorship laws but has managed to successfully appeal all his sentences. For this reason, much of his work centers on freedom of speech and expression. This event is a rare opportunity to meet a Southeast Asian artist who truly embodies Bowdoin's commitment to the common good.
