Why We Must Resist: Art, Technology, and the Fight for Democracy

In a world where art and democracy is eroded by fake news and digital manipulation, resistance has never been more vital. The legacy of Cambridge Analytica lingers—its methods of data mining, digital exploitation, and psychological targeting continue to shape elections and public opinion worldwide. Although the company has dissolved, its shadow remains, revealing how technology can be weaponized to distort truth and undermine democratic values.

But resistance can also be sonic. The sound of techno—once born from underground rebellion—still carries the power to unite, awaken, and demand change. In a time where algorithms predict our choices and systems monitor our movements, the dance floor becomes a place of awareness, a space where rhythm transforms into resistance.

The flyer design embodies this message, merging 3D imagery with symbolism to express the fragility of human autonomy in the digital age. A skull serves as a memento mori, a reminder of mortality and the potential downfall of humankind driven by greed and denial of global crises such as climate change.

At the center stands Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty—her face replaced by a glitching computer screen. This distortion represents the violation of privacy and the commodification of identity, where our most intimate data becomes currency in an economy of surveillance and control. The gold hues that frame the composition symbolize our obsession with wealth and power—the very forces that perpetuate corruption.

Above, the Eye of Providence gazes alongside a faceless human figure, symbolizing the uncertainty of belief and the erosion of individuality under facial recognition systems and constant surveillance. The Buddha, once a symbol of serenity, now reflects a collective spiritual anguish—mourning a humanity disconnected from its ethical core. Finally, the presence of artificial intelligence looms as both creation and threat, a mirror of our ingenuity and a warning of its potential misuse.

This project stands as a visual and conceptual reflection on power, awareness, and resistance. It invites viewers to question how deeply technology shapes our perception, and what it truly means to remain human in an era of digital control.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a designer crafting visual systems that move between the tactile and the digital. His work combines motion, branding, and 3D exploration with a poetic sense of structure.