Njideka Akunyili Crosby, I Refuse to Be Invisible (2013)
My silence these past few days has not been intentional. I lost my mojo. Art classes are on break, human contact is absent, the news that I thought was bad, got worse. I was at a loss for what to send you. Black artists. Black artists. More black artists.
Hank Willis Thomas, Raise Up (2014). Courtesy of nsuartmuseum
The last time there was racial injustice at the top of the news, I sent out black artists. The time before that, I sent out other black artists. I am not tired of sending out black artists, but I need to do something different today.
“BLACK LIVES MATTER” painted on the road to the White House, an order and a message from DC’s mayor Muriel E. Bowser. – Washington Post
For the black artists who have not had the lives, the respect, the resources, the peace, the prosperity, or the credit they deserved. For the living black artists who find themselves choosing how to use their work to express issues of black strength and survival, instead of assuming the ease and variety of artistic exploration and expression that I myself enjoy. For the black artists that I post, and the black artists that I miss, because I am specifically looking for “10 black artists that I should know” instead of choosing something from the 1,000 white artists that I do know.
For more black voices, take action with me today: write your mayor and tell her we want more restrictions on use of force by police – the 8 Can’t Wait.
Robert Pruitt, Creator and Redeemer, 2016 Conté, pastel, colored pencil and charcoal, tea dyed paper, 84” × 60” “Their tattoos on their skin appear as arbitrary, and upon close inspection reveal a religious Virgin Mary as Harriet Tubman and NK-33, a former soviet rocket, inked on their bodies. The symbolism, typography and calligraphy of the tattoo design, and the element of bold red color that stands out in the women’s clothing all work to transform these two regular girls into angels of hope for the black community.” – medium.com
For more black artists, make one contact for 8 Can’t Wait today:
I’m emailing Mayor Jenny Durkan to urge them to take the pledge to enact the #8CantWait Use of Force policies. I live in SEATTLE, WA in the [neighborhood] and I know our city would benefit from these policies. The #8CantWait policies are simple, common-sense and would make our community safer. SEATTLE, WA has 6 policies that are part of the #8CantWait pledge. Can you commit to enacting these additional policies right now? – Requires Exhaust All Alternatives Before Shooting – Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles
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More Black Artists
My silence these past few days has not been intentional. I lost my mojo. Art classes are on break, human contact is absent, the news that I thought was bad, got worse. I was at a loss for what to send you. Black artists. Black artists. More black artists.
The last time there was racial injustice at the top of the news, I sent out black artists. The time before that, I sent out other black artists. I am not tired of sending out black artists, but I need to do something different today.
For the black artists who have not had the lives, the respect, the resources, the peace, the prosperity, or the credit they deserved. For the living black artists who find themselves choosing how to use their work to express issues of black strength and survival, instead of assuming the ease and variety of artistic exploration and expression that I myself enjoy. For the black artists that I post, and the black artists that I miss, because I am specifically looking for “10 black artists that I should know” instead of choosing something from the 1,000 white artists that I do know.
For more black voices, take action with me today: write your mayor and tell her we want more restrictions on use of force by police – the 8 Can’t Wait.
Conté, pastel, colored pencil and charcoal, tea dyed paper, 84” × 60”
“Their tattoos on their skin appear as arbitrary, and upon close inspection reveal a religious Virgin Mary as Harriet Tubman and NK-33, a former soviet rocket, inked on their bodies. The symbolism, typography and calligraphy of the tattoo design, and the element of bold red color that stands out in the women’s clothing all work to transform these two regular girls into angels of hope for the black community.” – medium.com
For more black artists, make one contact for 8 Can’t Wait today:
If you live in Seattle, email: jenny.durkan@seattle.gov
Not sure what to say? Here’s a script:
I’m emailing Mayor Jenny Durkan to urge them to take the pledge to enact the #8CantWait Use of Force policies. I live in SEATTLE, WA in the [neighborhood] and I know our city would benefit from these policies.
The #8CantWait policies are simple, common-sense and would make our community safer. SEATTLE, WA has 6 policies that are part of the #8CantWait pledge. Can you commit to enacting these additional policies right now?
– Requires Exhaust All Alternatives Before Shooting
– Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles
Don’t live in Seattle? Go here: https://8cantwait.org/
Because I want to post more black artists, but not like this.
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