Description
Three wise monkeys embodying the Japanese proverbial principle “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” are front and center in this mural. Each monkey expresses a single principle using an action as well as accompanying text. The monkeys are painted in contrasting colors of blue and pink. The word “justice” is painted in large capital letters over the center monkey. From right to left, the monkey’s are labeled as “hear,” “see,” and “speak” with orange script. The “hear” monkey wears headphones personifying hearing through these. The “see” monkey wears a monocle and necklace with a crown bearing the text “see.” A crown necklace has various meanings though has been associated with George Floyd in other mural artwork. The “speak” monkey appears to be shouting the word “speak” through its opened mouth. All monkeys are highlighted with a dark wash on radiating from the bottom and pink and white highlighting strokes on the top. The artist’s handle @calichoart appears on the top right corner of the mural and the artist’s name “Calicho” is signed on the bottom left.
This mural was created as part of the project Shared Freedom Protest Art 2020 which took place in the East Village section of Manhattan from September 13th- November 3rd.