Paris-based illustrator and designer Rafaelle Fillastre was among the artists selected for Protect the Protest, a public art initiative organised by Shado Mag responding to increasing restrictions on the right to protest across Europe. Five artists were chosen to create works addressing the theme, with the selected pieces later installed as billboards across London by BUILDHOLLYWOOD.
The project aimed to reclaim protest as a space not only for dissent, but also for community, creativity and hope. By placing the artworks directly in public space, the campaign reconnected the visual language of protest with the streets where demonstrations and collective action often begin.
Fillastre’s illustration reflects on the deeper motivations behind protest. Rather than focusing on conflict or confrontation, the work emphasises the shared human desire for dignity, growth and collective progress.
“Through this image, I wanted to recenter on why we protest,” Fillastre explains. “What people are manifesting is simple: to live, not just survive. To grow and to thrive.”
Her composition highlights the collective energy that drives demonstrations. Protest becomes not only a political act but also a moment of solidarity where communities gather, raise their voices and challenge restrictive norms.
“It’s about the collective effort to start important conversations and to liberate from restraining norms,” she says. “In short, the beauty of these actions.”
The work also reflects Fillastre’s belief in the role of creative practice within political discourse. “Art is never neutral,” she adds.
Rafaelle Fillastre is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, motion designer and 2D animator based in Paris. She holds a Master’s degree in Communication Design from the Glasgow School of Art and has also studied at EPSAA, Estienne and Gobelins. Her work has been exhibited at spaces including EP7, Recyclart, the Médiathèque de la Canopée La Fontaine and the Rainer-Maria Rilke Public Library. She has collaborated with organisations and brands such as Konbini, Nightline France, Sidaction, Sony Music and Hermès.
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