ISSUE 1

Through my artwork, I want to showcase the unfortunate death of George Floyd, which had no apparent reason. I speak against racism by making this painting and without racism, the world will be much better. The Black Lives Matter protest is known to potentially be the largest movement in terms of participation in U.S history, with over 26 million protesters. It re-surged when George Perry Floyd, an African American man, was brutally killed in Minneapolis on May 25th by 3 American officers.

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My inspiration was Danielle Coke, an Instagram influencer and artist who creates content for not only the black community but many other issues. She herself is a part of the black community, and just like you and I, Danielle also believes in equality. One technique which I mainly used in my artwork is symbolism, which allows the audience to attach their own meaning to it.

 
I didn’t make the facial features of the woman to illustrate the dehumanization of the black community by racist people and show how they are undervalued and not given the same rights as the white community. I stand against the fact that this community is separated and deprived of their rights solely based on the color of their skin. Additionally, the bandage on the woman’s mouth symbolizes how this community is not heard as they should be, and their voices are suppressed. The caption “can’t breathe” on the bandage clearly depicts how Derek Chauvin pinned Mr. Floyd on the ground, forcefully pressurizing his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for 8 whole minutes and 46 seconds even after he was unconscious, even after calling for help but the cops showed no sign of life. He tried to breathe with blood pouring from his mouth, saying "I can't breathe, I can't breathe," repeatedly but the cops didn't do anything about it. Moreover, the dark skin, very evidently represents and speaks for the black community. Also, the colour red signifies action, emergency and importance.

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Through this painting, I wanted to convey the message that all skin colors are perfect and that NO ONE should be discriminated against for their complexion. I created this piece of art so that people know the truth of how the black community is treated and I also want to inspire the audience to raise awareness about the same, since it is important to hear the voice of suppressed minorities.