About the work

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Liberty Flags (As protest signs)

Art & Social Practice Residency 2017-2018

 

This project is an extension of Rituals of Commemoration. It began while working in the Little River library, artist residency with ProjectArt, I was able to deepened my commitment of the last several years to exploring issues of social justice activism, policing, colonization and power. I have focused specifically on Miami’s Black history, researching local archives and books i.e. The Struggle for Black Freedom in Miami: Civil Rights and America's Tourist Paradise 1896-1968 by Chanelle N. Rose. The reading serves as a stimulus, a spark for thinking critically in a safe environment. 

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This work consists of several iterations. An installation that consists of 10 flags that serve as markers to symbolically and physically memorialize the lives of victims of police violence across the United States. These flags begin as mixed media; works on paper in which fabric, transfers from news articles, drawing, painting and printing have been employed. All ten spell out Y AHORA WHAT, (And Now What) while at the same time highlighting within the letters and design the name of each victim. The design includes images and text found through research detailing important facts about each killing. Each mixed-media paper piece is scanned and printed into 3'x 5' nylon flags. Others iterations consist of works on paper, (flags) that hang from a wooden, handmade flagpole. Yet others are installed on the wall creating the illusion that they are hanging from painted pole on the wall and finally evolving into protest signs.