The Protests

Faith Ringgold’s Black Light Series #7 Ego Painting was created in 1969. Inspired by the textile designs of the Kuba Kingdom of Democratic Republic of the Congo, she addresses blackness as a color and an identity.

This is on exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago.

I watched Dave Chappelle this morning and I thought there is something in today’s circumstances that deeply affects us all. Chappelle did a short comedy show titled, 8:46 to speak to recent events of the death of George Floyd and the riots. The numbers signify the amount of time police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on the neck of George Floyd.

The comedian spoke through his pain and anger which was hardly funny but very true. It gave us a moment of new normal.

Chappelle pointed out that not everyone will respond to recent events the same way or at the same time. We have to give people space to process what is happening around us. We need to see the consequences of our neglect.

This art reflects the state of rage we are in. It is something that consumes us. How it is dealt with will determine if it is squelched or inflamed.

Ahmaud Arbery was shot by two white men and ran off by a truck when he went for a jog on February 23, 2020.

It is the month where we celebrate freedom of African Americans with Juneteenth. In light of the protests that have taken place around the country, this piece I titled Protests.

A protester has been peppersprayed.