In modern days dominated by social media we want to open a conversation about censorship in art. By the initiative #ToHumanhood we invite everyone to talk about their experience and be part of our movement. Just as much as Instagram is a powerful platform for self expression and inspiration, the landscape is getting surrounded by inescapable censorship and, or shadowing.

Online visibility creates the opportunity for artists to share, promote, or sell their works and therefore be independent. Countless creatives have built successful careers on the app. But as the app's “guidelines” have gotten stricter and the artists who explore topics related to nudity, gender identity, and politics are getting less or no visibility. The social media platform has taken down drawings, photographs, paintings, or sculptures despite Community Guidelines explicitly claiming that nudity is allowed in "artistic, educational, or medical contexts', many artists have been shadow banned or removed from the platform.

Instagram's control over what counts as art is effectively changing the way art is made, shown and seen. For the artists it means losing the opportunity to share their work and be promoted. With creatives around the globe, we are sharing real stories and feelings. This censorship is not only a threat to the creativity and freedom of expression, but also to accessing diverse content.

Bianca Lee Vasquez

Lotte Van Raalte

Although our hashtag is shadowed by Instagram we want to continue the conversation about censorship, because we need change in many layers of our society. And in times dominated by social media we need a platform that connect us all by supporting everyone's body, voice and choice. Therefore we invite everyone to join, share and celebrate their story.

“Inspire
Join
Share
Spread
Celebrate
2020 I was banned for a month and now I got a message I can lose my account soon.”

Alina Gross, Photographer

“Cultural, Social, Artistic, Philosophical exchange is key for me to understand humanity at its core.
When our modern society puts higher value on our digital identity instead of who we really are, we are at an urgent risk of fade-off into a filtered place, far away from feeling the world how it is and stopping to see each other as open doors to wisdom.”

Maria Baños, Creative Director, Strategist and Co-founder of @MusesofNow

“This is how I personally feel about the algorithm. The fact I only get visibility if I play with censorship and nudes in my posts feels highly toxic. Not to mention that it has taken the whole joy out of using Instagram.”

Claire O'Keefe Creative Director

“Self-portrait with my kids at home. June, 2022. With this postpartum picture I join the initiative #tohumanhood, created by @musesofnow to open a conversation about art and contemporary censorship from a human and personal point of view.”

An Ode to Mother by Silvia Conde

“Proud to stand with the #tohumanhood movement to raise a common voice against the growing censorship and shadow banning on todays social media. My account is constantly shadow banned and my work barely reaches an audience.”

Sarah Kinder, Stylist and Photographer

“I believe we need change to save ourselves and our planet. We need change in our society and our industries, in our everyday lives and online. So, how can we continue this conversation when the platform that could connect us all isn’t supporting everyone's body, voice or choice? How can we create to become our most natural and human version of ourselves?”

Ida Johansson, Creative Director and Co-founder of @MusesofNow