As news of the shocking ISIS attacks on Paris spread around the world, one image quickly came to represent people’s feelings of grief and loss, but most importantly, hope.
Within hours of the attack, French illustrator Jean Jullien’s simple image of the Peace symbol fused with the Eiffel Tower had already been shared across the globe, remixed and reinterpreted by other artists.
“It was the most spontaneous thing. I heard the news on the radio, and I had this heartfelt reaction. I wanted to draw something that could symbolize peace and solidarity, and I wanted something with the context of Paris,” Jullien told CNN.
As people have struggled to come to terms with the violence meted out by ISIS on the streets of Paris, which left 129 people dead and 352 injured, illustrators, cartoonists and street artists have managed to capture the complex and powerful emotions unleashed.
The role of art can often be overstated, but in the wake of the Paris attacks, the outpouring of creativity witnessed has brought hope and unity in a way politicians’ speeches could never do.
Here are some of the best images we’ve found.
Charlie Hebdo – “They have weapons. We don’t mind, we have champagne.”
#SprayForParis – artist unknown
Naypal on Instagram
James Jarvis, London-based illustrator
Norman Chuck a.k.a. “Vogue”, street artist from Oakland, California
Unknown artist
Romeoduchene on Instagram
Illustrator and photographer Kerstin Hiestermann from Hanover, Germany
@seth_globepainter on Instagram – “Tossed but not sunk”
What’s up Lebanon on Instagram
Paris Métro Line 13 – Photo by @itskarlotte on Instagram, artist unknown
French illustrator Agathe Toman
Artist unknown
Cartoonist Marc Beaudet, Montreal
Pianist Davide Martello transports his piano by bike to play John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ outside the Bataclan theatre, the scene of Friday’s attack
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We have tried to credit all artists, please let us know if any credit information is missing or incorrect.
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