ABSTRACT
This study seeks to reveal the meaning behind the proliferation of Covid-19 mural paintings in various corners of the capital city of Jakarta. As is known, amidst the government's incessant efforts to overcome the soaring Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, there are still many citizens who do not have a high awareness of the dangers of the virus. Many people in society underestimates the virus by ignoring health protocols. Thus, the government's efforts to stop the transmission of the Covid-19 virus met a steep path. The appearance of various murals about Covid-19 tries to build public awareness of the importance of the role of society in inhibiting the rate of transmission of Covid-19. The messages are short, colorful and tend to be dramatic, contain many profound meanings and are full of criticism. This study uses the semiotic method of Roland Barthes as a knife of analysis in a qualitative perspective. As a structuralism analysis, Roland Barthes links meaning to myths that develop in society. The results show that these murals are clearly not just artistic expressions; they are a form of auto criticism of people's attitudes and behavior. The mural creators built their message by highlighting harsh criticisms of the “lullabies” belief of the people and at the same time demonstrating the attitudes and behavior of the socially concerned society. The messages of social concern are built with color and drama.
