Art and its Support for Transitional Justice

Different countries around the world have a history of their own that shaped their status and form as it is today. Often such history is marked by conflict and blood which remains a thorn in the memory of people as the country or State (usually) moves into democracy. It becomes important to come to terms with the atrocities and injustice suffered by people and to make efforts to soothe the pain. In such efforts, considering art as a mechanism to enhance and promote Transitional Justice goals would be a valuable area of research and exploration, owing to the distinctiveness of art in expressing what law and words cannot. The traditional mechanisms of transitional justice process such as criminal trials, truth and reconciliation commissions, reparations, memorializations, etc. are crucial but have their own shortcomings. This is where art can step in and fill the gap. While considering this, it is also essential to be mindful of the challenges that can come up with art based approaches to transitional justice. Nevertheless, promoting an art- based approach to transitional justice along with the formal mechanisms can give a push to this beautiful medium which can be used to express and present non- quantifiable impact of past violence. Art cannot replace the traditional mechanisms, but it can very well complement the goals of the formal mechanism of transitional justice in ways that are not temporal but eternal.