BLM Cop Car: A Riot is the Language of the Unheard
This piece features a white cop car that is on fire, the front of the vehicle includes a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that reads “A Riot is the Language of the Unheard.” The license plate of the car says BLM and the background is of multi-colored flames and stars on a yellow sky.
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2021-06-15">2021-06-15</a>
MM
Photographer: Andy Townsend
UAM-GF_2115
301 W Johnson St, Madison, WI, USA
Language of the Unheard
Graffiti in black paint on plywood reading "A riot is the language of the unheard. MLK"
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-07-21">2020-07-21</a>
HS
Photograph by Sally Pemberton
UAM-GF_1630
Stevens Square, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Say Their Names
A boarded up Agharta Records store with "Say Their Names" spraypainted in bubble letters. This is accompanied by a large panel with a list of names of victims of police & racially-motivated violence.
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-10">2020-06-10</a>
SHl
University Rebuilds
MN
UAM-GF_0406
2512 University Ave W
Justice 4 Floyd on Jackalope Tattoo
"Justice 4 Floyd" spray painted in bubble letters on a boarded up Jackalope Tattoo Parlor. Also in spray paint is "A Riot is the Language of the Unheard - MLK," "Justice for George," and ACAB."
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-05">2020-06-05</a>
SHL
University Rebuilds
MN
UAM-GF_0293
3753 Cedar Ave
True Peace
Plywood covering the windows of Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts & Foods decorated with a quote attributed to Martin Luther King Jr.: "TRUE PEACE IS NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF TENSION, IT IS THE PRESENCE OF JUSTICE. - MLK"
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-05-31">2020-05-31</a>
HS
Nick Steffel (nsteffel@gmail.com)
Minnesota
UAM-GF_0242
1601 E Lake St,
Determined Spirit
A panel with imagery and quotes about resilience combined. The image shows a rose emerging from cracks in the pavement. Text reads "A determined spirit can never be broken --Andrea Sawyer" and "The time is always right to do what is right --MLK."
Note text on door in the background relating to previous looting.
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-06">2020-06-06</a>
HS
Minnesota
UAM-GF_0059
Calhoun Square, Hennepin Avenue
Justice // Equality // MLK
A large scale black-and-white portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. gazing off to the viewer's left. The word "Justice" is written in stylized, fully capitalized font to the viewer's left and the word "Equality" is written in the same style to the viewer's right.
Tristan Eaton (@tristaneaton)
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-06">2020-06-06</a>
F.S.
Artist: Tristan Eaton (@tristaneaton)
Photographer: Impermanent Art (@impermanent_art)
UAM-GF_2909
5000 York Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90042
George Floyd Matters
On a black background, a hyperrealistic color portrait of George Floyd. His sweatshirt is covered with abstract paint smears blending together in shades of red, white and blue. Floyd's face and hair are outlined with sketchy black streaks. Overlaid across the foreground are a series of text. Discernible in white across Floyd's face is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Overlaid above that, in the background, is the same quotation in blue. A final layer reads "walk with hate // love" with hate crossed out, so that only love remains. "George Floyd Matters" is written faintly above Floyd's head and the artist's signature "So Many Possibilities" is visible below.
Shane Heath (@somanypossibilities)
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech, Loving Your Enemies.
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-07">2020-06-07</a>
F.S.
Artist: Shane Heath (@somanypossibilities)
Photographer: Impermanent Art (@impermanent_art)
UAM-GF_2912
1507 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90291
Say Their Names, 2011-2012 | Bringing Back Bowery
The eye is immediately drawn to the rightmost edge of the plywood panel, where two large brown eyes emerge from a vivd red background. Underneath the eyes, budding trees are surrounded by discarded guns pointing upwards toward the sky.
In the center of the work, a quotation emerges from the unpainted plywood. The quote reads: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - MLK #bemighty." Underneath the quote, to the left of the trees, a list of names emerges from a field of flowers. Outlined in green paint, a quick glance could lead the names to be mistaken as part of the greenery that blooms in the red.
The names are not all clear, but include: Nehemiah Dillard, 2012; Melvin Lawhorn, 2012; Marquez Smart, 2012; Michael Lembard, 2012; Tendai Mhekaira, 2012; Stephan Watts, 2012; Rekia Boyd, 2012; Johnnie Kamahi Warren, 2012; Malik Williams, 2011.
The names listed are all of Black individuals murdered by police officers in the years listed beside their names. This list is not a conclusive list of all Black people murdered in 2011-2012 by police.
Sally Young
Posted by @Bringing_Back_Bowery on Instagram. Caption: "Amazing mural by @sallysonegun at the Bowery Bar and Grill"
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-22">2020-06-22</a>
F.S.
Artist: Sally Young
Image: @Bringing_Back_Bowery on Instagram
40 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
West: When the Sunrise and the Sunset look the Same
An image of a Black man positioned with his hands up. Text surrounding him reads "End White Terrorism" and "Don't Shoot."
Katharen Wiese
Sandy's Bar.
From the artist: "Over a month ago I began plans to make paintings in my studio referencing the murder of Ahmaud Arbery who was shot by two white men, his own neighbors, while he was going on a regular jog. They hunted him down because they thought he fit the description of a house robber. The description meaning being black, which is warrant enough for your murder in this country. .
3 weeks ago when I watched the video of George Floyd's murder in broad daylight, with overwhelming urges from onlookers to stop, by officers sworn to protect him, I wanted to channel my grief into something more than a quickly imposing downward spiral. I felt if I was going to make art, it had to be more than a pretty picture to be consumed. .
I believe commercial galleries can nurture the creation of unimaginative and unchallenging art because structurally most are not built to reward innovation but what is most readily profitable. I don't want to make work which will only be seen by the gallery going type, owned only by the wealthy, or made to confront only those who already agree with me. I decided to take my portraits of Ahmaud off the metaphorical easel bound for the gallery and into the street. .
It took me less than 10 hours over the course of three days to paint. It's titled "west, when the sunrise and the sunset look the same", made with spray paint, oil paint, and acrylic on plywood over Sandy's Bar at 14th and O St in Lincoln, NE. This is the first of two pieces, this one an image of death, the next an image of the sunrise, of the son rise. Together they represent the similarity between worship and death both being acts of arm high surrender: images of a universe I question there is a context where black people are safe whether it's a domestic street or a church pew. .
This work is about black excellence, about a literal suit which functions as armour which will be in the next painting. About the excellence demanded of black men and black people to dress better than the next mediocre white American, to work harder than them, to speak better, all because without this we are seen as subhuman; an excellence which even in our pursuit of, even in Ahmaud's jog, could not fully protect him."
https://www.klkntv.com/local-artist-line-business-with-powerful-message/?fbclid=IwAR10OsgcDNLaqN7y9OUahQd9eqL0EJzwWNQly-5nmtxZxQ7NUb4z3Qea4J8
Urban Art Mapping Research Project
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-17">2020-06-17</a>
HS
402.429.0812, katharen.wiese@gmail.com
NE
UAM-GF_0264
14th and 0 St