I was reminded this week about an interview I did recently for Discover Abstract Artists (see some excerpts below). If you follow me, you probably know that my art is inspired by “historical and contemporary social justice issues.” Well, a good example of this process (from inspiration to canvas) happened last week…
I’m currently teaching a course called Slavery and Global Ethics. It’s about the institution of Atlantic slavery and how modern global (aka Western/capitalist) ethics were shaped by slavery. It’s fascinating! And hard.
Last week, we traced the lineage of Black resistance in the US backward from Black Lives Matter ➡️ civil rights movement ➡️ slavery and abolitionism.
I showed protest signs from each movement (see the ppt slide):
1. BLM: “Black Lives Matter“
2. 1960s: “I am a Man“
3. Abolition (late 18th/early 19th c.): “Am I Not a Man and a Brother“
They say the same thing, but they’re from three different centuries. I guess it’s sadly not surprising that the same claim to humanity still has to be made today 😞.
This week, as I thought about this lineage, I reworked an old painting with lines—my latest obsession.
The lines reflect my thought process. First, feeling anguish about the frustratingly powerful structures that block change. And then a corrective about the power of community and protest movements—how being connected is so much more powerful than acting alone, and how collective action matters.
12″ x 12″ x 1.5″ acrylic on wood.