Black Lives Matter art

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Black Lives Matter mural in Minneapolis, July 2020 Aerial view of Black Lives Matter mural at Penn and Plymouth (50139920322).jpg
Black Lives Matter mural in Minneapolis, July 2020

Many artworks related to the Black Lives Matter movement have been created. [1] [2] [3] These works are either seen as a direct tribute to those who have died or more broadly to the movement. [4] [5] Often the pieces are created in the streets as to be more publicly visible. [6] As such several attempts have been made at preserving the art created in protest on the basis of their artistic merit and cultural significance. [7] [8] Increasingly, the erasure of the artwork has been a problem for preservationists. [9] As such, the artworks below represent a fraction of the works created.

Contents

Murals

Say Their Names was painted in Louisville, Kentucky. In Portland, Oregon, the George Floyd mural and We Stand with You were created.

Street murals

The Washington, D.C. Black Lives Matter mural painted in June 2020 2020.06.05 Protesting the Murder of George Floyd, Washington, DC USA 157 34232.jpg
The Washington, D.C. Black Lives Matter mural painted in June 2020

On June 5, 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the DC Public Works Department painted the words "Black Lives Matter" in 35-foot-tall (11 m) yellow capital letters on 16th Street NW on the north of Lafayette Square, part of President's Park near the White House, with the assistance of the MuralsDC program of the DC Department of Public Works, with the DC flag accompanying the text. [10] [11] [12] This would eventually cause the renaming of 16th street NW to Black Lives Matter Plaza. [13] Multiple other cities across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, subsequently painted similar murals, including Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Portland, Salt Lake City, Santa Cruz, California, and Springfield, Massachusetts.

Painting

In response to the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor, artist Amy Sherald created a painted portrait simply titled Breonna Taylor. The portrait features Taylor in a turquoise dress with a cross necklace and a diamond engagement ring. Sherald created the portrait using oil paints on a 54" x 43" linen canvas. In 2021, the piece was included in a Speed Art Museum exhibition titled "Promise, Witness, Remembrance", which was curated by Allison Glenn. [14] [15]

In response to the 2013 killing of Trayvon Martin, artist Nikkolas Smith created a painted portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. wearing a hoodie purposefully resembling the same hoodie donned by Trayvon Martin at the time of his death. [16]

Adrian Brandon created a series of portraits titled "Stolen", [17] each one being a Black individual who had their life taken. He chose to only paint the portraits for the same number of minutes as years each individual lived. The empty white spaces represent the life they will never be able to live.

In November 2014, visual artist and illustrator Cbabi Bayoc painted RIP Son using acrylic on a 4-by-4-foot (1.2 m × 1.2 m) panel. [18] Bayoc's art contribution was done in response to the grand jury decision to acquit officer Darren Wilson who was involved in the fatal shooting of Ferguson teen Michael Brown. [18]

Sculpture

A bust and statue of George Floyd were installed in New York City and Newark, New Jersey, respectively. [19] [20]

A bust of Breonna Taylor was installed in Oakland, California, in 2020. [21] A bust of John Lewis was displayed in Union Square, New York City. [22]

These sculptures sometimes replace statues of controversial nature, such as a sculpture by Marc Quinn, which replaced a statue of Edward Colston in Bristol. [23] The work is called A Surge of Power, and features Jen Reid with a fist raised. [24]

Performance art

Performance art has been connected with the Black Lives Matter movement since the beginning, given Patrisse Cullors' ties to the movement's inception. [25]

Symbol

The Black Lives Matter symbol Protest march in response to the Philando Castile shooting (28084964251).jpg
The Black Lives Matter symbol

The Black Lives Matter symbol is artwork depicting a raised fist, a universal symbol for solidarity. Its connections with the movement stems from The Black Panther Party, in which it has become embedded with anti-racist protests. [26] The raised fist symbol became the official gesture for the movement after the shooting of Michael Brown, an African-American teenager, in 2014. [27]

Reception

The surrounding works of the Black Lives Matter movement have a majority positive public reception in the United States. [28] Despite this, several instances of art vandalism have occurred. [29] [30] [31] [32] These have generally been regarded as hate crimes depending on the notoriety of the work. [33]

The murals found in schools have had a mixed reaction from parents, teachers, and administration depending on the work. [34] [35] Questions have been raised as to whom should be creating the art from an ethnographic perspective. [36] Another source of controversy is the use of a victim's likeness in derivative art. [37]

Critical and academic reception of the art has been highly positive, prompting anthropological journalism and investigations into the artists' works. [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breonna Taylor</span> Medical worker killed by police (1993–2020)

Breonna Taylor was an African-American woman who was shot and killed while unarmed in her Louisville, Kentucky home by three police officers who entered under the auspices of a "no-knock" search warrant. None of the officers were charged with her murder.

This is a list of protests brought on by the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in Kentucky, United States. In 2020, there were protests throughout Kentucky in reaction to the shooting of Breonna Taylor and murder of George Floyd by police, as well as the shooting of David McAtee by the Kentucky Army National Guard. The demonstrations happened regularly in the largest cities in Kentucky, including Louisville and Lexington. Many of the smaller cities had protests on at least one day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter Plaza</span> Section of 16th Street in Washington, D.C., designated in June 2020

Black Lives Matter Plaza is a two-block-long pedestrian section of 16th Street NW in downtown Washington, D.C. The plaza was renamed by Mayor Muriel Bowser on June 5, 2020, after the Department of Public Works painted the words "Black Lives Matter" in yellow, 35-foot-tall (11 m) capital letters, along with the D.C. flag, during the series of George Floyd protests taking place in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Tennessee</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 triggered a wave of protests throughout Tennessee in late May and early June 2020. These protests continued throughout the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter movement in popular culture</span>

The Black Lives Matter movement has been depicted and documented in various artistic forms and mediums including film, song, television, and the visual arts. In some instances this has taken place in the form of protest art. These cultural representations have also grown organically among artists who seek to partake in activist efforts in support or in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement. The themes conveyed in these artistic works address the history of racism and injustice toward people of color in the United States and typically express sentiments of anger and fear as well as solace and hope.

Many artworks related to the Black Lives Matter movement were created in Portland, Oregon, United States, during local protests over the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans. Oregon Arts Watch contextualized the artistic works, stating that a "whitewashed pre-COVID lens" on American life, which obscured systemic racism, had been "cracked", and describing artists' response to racial violence being brought into the public eye was a "marathon, not a sprint".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter protests in New York City</span> Anti-racism protests in New York City

New York City has been the site of many Black Lives Matter protests in response to incidents of police brutality and racially motivated violence against black people. The Black Lives Matter movement began as a hashtag after the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin, and became nationally recognized for street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of two African Americans, Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Garner was killed in the Staten Island borough of New York City, leading to protests, demonstrations, and work towards changes in policing and the law. Following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020, the global response included extensive protests in New York City, and several subsequent changes to policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter street mural (Indianapolis)</span> Mural in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

The Black Lives Matter street muralin Indianapolis is a large, colorful mural reading "#BLACKLIVESMATTER", with a raised fist, that 18 artists painted across a downtown roadway in August 2020, as part of the George Floyd protests. The mural is located on Indiana Avenue, the historic hub of the city's Black culture, on the same corner as the Madam C. J. Walker Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of George Floyd</span> 2021 statue in Newark, New Jersey, United States

A bronze statue of George Floyd (1973–2020), an African-American man who was murdered by police in Minneapolis, was completed by Stanley Watts and unveiled in 2021. It is situated outside Newark, New Jersey's City Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter street mural (Salt Lake City)</span> Mural in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

In August 2020, eight artists painted a Black Lives Matter street mural in Salt Lake City's Washington Square Park, outside the Salt Lake City and County Building, in the U.S. state of Utah. The city had commissioned the painting with a contest "to support and memorialize the national movement to eliminate systemic racism".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bust of George Floyd</span> 2021 bust in New York, United States

The bust of George Floyd is a sculpture of George Floyd (1973–2020), an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer during his arrest in Minneapolis. Initially situated in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, it is currently displayed in Union Square, Manhattan.

<i>We Stand with You</i> 2020 mural in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

We Stand With You is a 2020 mural of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor by artist Christian Grijalva, installed in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd mural (Portland, Oregon)</span> 2020 mural in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

A mural of George Floyd was painted by Emma Berger outside Portland, Oregon's Apple Pioneer Place, on June 1, 2020, a week after his murder, against the background of the ongoing protests against police brutality. She expanded the mural to show Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and phrases associated with the Black Lives Matter movement. The work was vandalized in August, and repaired by the artist. It was covered by Apple Inc. in December for preservation, then removed in January 2021 to be donated to Don't Shoot PDX.

Say Their Names is a 2020 mural in Louisville, Kentucky.

A "Black Lives Matter" street mural has been painted in Santa Cruz, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter art in New York City</span> Public art in New York City related to the Black Lives Matter movement

Many artworks related to the Black Lives Matter movement were created in New York City, during local protests over the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans.

A "Black Lives Matter" street mural has been painted in Springfield, Massachusetts.

George Floyd was an African American man who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. He was memorialized via events, protests, artwork installations, organizations, official designations, and campaigns.

Save the Boards is an American nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis that collects and preserves street art that emerged during local protests of the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Krales, Amelia Holowaty (July 5, 2020). "33 powerful Black Lives Matter murals". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  2. ↑ Jacobs, Julia (August 4, 2020). "The 'Black Lives Matter' Street Art That Contains Multitudes". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. ↑ Smith, Danez (August 24, 2020). "Minneapolis Street Art During and After the BLM Protests". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  4. ↑ "List of Black Lives Matter street murals", Wikipedia, November 5, 2021, archived from the original on February 24, 2023, retrieved November 27, 2021
  5. ↑ "How the Death of George Floyd Sparked a Street Art Movement". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ Jacobs, Julia (July 16, 2020). "The 'Black Lives Matter' Street Art That Contains Multitudes". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Franklin, Jonathan (October 2, 2021). "She guarded the Black Lives Matter memorial. Now, she's working to protect its art". NPR. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ Calma, Justine (October 21, 2020). "Protest art leaves the streets". The Verge. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ "The Defacement and Destruction of Black Lives Matter Murals". The New Yorker. November 19, 2020. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ Austermuhle, Mark; Cheslow, Daniella (June 5, 2020). "DC Renames Intersection near White House 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' Paints 35-Foot Message on Street". DCist . Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  11. ↑ Barnes, Sophie; Finch, Justin (June 5, 2020). "City of DC Painting 'Black Lives Matter' on Street Near White House". Washington, DC: WRC-TV. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  12. ↑ Willingham, AJ (June 5, 2020). "Washington DC Paints a Giant 'Black Lives Matter' Message on the Road to the White House". CNN. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  13. ↑ Barnes, Sophia; Finch, Justin; Reporter • •, News4. "DC Ceremonially Names Street to White House After Black Lives Matter; Emblazons Name on Road". NBC4 Washington. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  14. ↑ McCool, Bill (May 13, 2021). "Speed Art Museum's Promise, Witness, Remembrance Gets an Assist From Design Studio Team". PRINT Magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ Pogrebin, Robin (March 7, 2021). "Amy Sherald Directs Her Breonna Taylor Painting Toward Justice". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  16. ↑ "'Artivist' Nikkolas Smith Combines Art And Activism Into A Singular Superpower". NPR.org. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ "stolen". Adrian Brandon. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  18. 1 2 Bayoc, Cbabi (2020). "RIP Son". American Ethnologist. 47 (2): 174–175. doi: 10.1111/amet.12897 . ISSN   1548-1425. S2CID   242991120.
  19. ↑ Liam Reilly (October 3, 2021). "Bronze bust of George Floyd defaced at New York City's Union Square". CNN. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  20. ↑ WABC (June 17, 2021). "George Floyd statue unveiled outside City Hall in Newark". ABC7 New York. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  21. ↑ Kreutz, Liz (December 29, 2020). "Vandalized Breonna Taylor sculpture in downtown Oakland has been stolen, artist says". ABC7 San Francisco. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ Cascone, Sarah (October 1, 2021). "An Artist's Busts of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and John Lewis Go Up in New York's Union Square—See Images Here". Artnet News. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  23. ↑ Bland, Archie (July 15, 2020). "Edward Colston statue replaced by sculpture of Black Lives Matter protester Jen Reid". The Guardian . Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Jen Reid: Bristol Black Lives Matter statue removed". BBC News. July 16, 2020. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  25. ↑ Dunlea, Reed (June 23, 2020). "Black Lives Matter Co-Founder on Building a Movement Through Art". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  26. ↑ @NatGeoUK (August 1, 2020). "The history of the raised fist, a global symbol of fighting oppression". National Geographic. Archived from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  27. ↑ "The meaning and history of the Black Power fist used by Black Lives Matter". inews.co.uk. June 19, 2020. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  28. ↑ Horowitz, Juliana Menasce. "Support for Black Lives Matter declined after George Floyd protests, but has remained unchanged since". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  29. ↑ "A man threw paint on a sculpture of George Floyd. It's the second time the statue has been vandalized". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  30. ↑ "George Floyd mural in Rochester gets vandalized". KIMT News. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  31. ↑ "George Floyd mural in Minneapolis defaced with black paint". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  32. ↑ Ortiz, Erik. "A Breonna Taylor sculpture was vandalized. Its artist says it's an "act of racist aggression."". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  33. ↑ Treisman, Rachel (October 28, 2021). "An actor has been charged with vandalizing a New York City statue of George Floyd". NPR. Archived from the original on November 25, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  34. ↑ Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko de (October 29, 2021). "A School Mural Was Supposed to Celebrate Black Lives. Instead, It Was Destroyed". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  35. ↑ Yancey-Bragg, N'dea. "A massive Black Lives Matter mural has been dedicated to George Floyd in front of his high school". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  36. ↑ Hemmerich, Sj S. (September 3, 2021). "Art as Activism and Allyship: Black Lives Matter Student Murals". Art Education. 74 (5): 25–31. doi:10.1080/00043125.2021.1928469. ISSN   0004-3125. S2CID   236938673. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  37. ↑ Payne, Ed (July 16, 2015). "Michael Brown art exhibit is 'disturbing, disgusting,' father says". CNN. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  38. ↑ Parikh, Shanti; Kwon, Jong Bum (May 2020). "Introduction: Still here in the afterlives". American Ethnologist. 47 (2): 110–120. doi: 10.1111/amet.12884 . ISSN   0094-0496. S2CID   240619620.
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