7 Incredible Works of Art That Gave Bold, Direct Responses to Police Brutality

Trayvon Martin Inspired Painting by Michael D'Antuono The death of Trayvon Martin started to unveil the true ugliness of the hypocrisy that plagues America, especially when it comes to constant attacks on Black lives. Martin's killer George Zimmerman sold a painting on eBay for more than $100,000, but the site removed a painting by Michael D'Antuono that honored Martin and denounced police brutality. The painting portrayed an officer hiding behind a KKK hood while aiming his gun in the face of a young Black child. In the child's hand is a depiction of a bag of Skittles, the candy Martin was said to have gotten from the convenience store the day he was fatally shot. 'The Blue Wall of Violence' "The Blue Wall of Violence" by Dread Scott was a controversial installation from 1999 that pointed out just how quickly police fire away at Black suspects even when they pose no threat to them. The installation features silhouettes that officers use for target practice with a molded arm extending from the faceless figures. In each of the figure’s hands is a household item that police “mistook” for a gun when the suspect was shot by police. Along with each figure is a date that corresponds with dates that actual Black citizens were shot when police shot them for reaching for items like wallets, car keys or even a squeegee. Lynching Exhibit in Baltimore After Walter Scott was gunned down by an officer in South Carolina, a Baltimore artist by the name of Loring Cornish decided to use art to make a powerful (and uncomfortable) statement about police brutality. Outside his studio he hung a large collection of black dolls from a tree to represent the modern-day lynchings of Black citizens due to police brutality. “I am mourning for all of the Black men that are dying needlessly, and the United States of America is doing nothing about it,” he told reporters about his exhibit. “And it seems like we can do nothing about police brutality.” 'On the Impossibility of Freedom in a Country Founded on Slavery and Genocide' In 2014, artist Dread Scott, the same artist behind “The Blue Wall of Violence,” unveiled a type of performance art that had people cringing at the realities of racism and abuse in America. Scott, a healthy and athletic Black man, attempted to walk against the powerful blow of water coming from a high-pressure fire hose — the same type of powerful blast used against Black men, women and children during the Civil Rights Movement. Spectators watched as Scott was repeatedly knocked to the ground and thrown back as if he was nothing more than a piece of trash. Scott told reporters that he hoped the display would force more people to “connect police brutality in Birmingham, Alabama 1963 to police brutality in Ferguson, Missouri 2014.” Graffiti Tribute to Michael Brown at Art Basel When artists took to Art Basel in 2014, it was no surprise that some of them had the injustices of police brutality on their minds and used those emotions to create some stunning works of art. There were two different displays dedicated to victims of police brutality including an entire piece honoring unarmed Black teen Michael Brown who was gunned down by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson. The piece featured Brown’s image along with a series of quotes liked “Love(d) You” and “Give More…Take Less.” 'Not One More' This art installation by Carrie Leilam Love, Fallon Young and their collaborators combined several different mediums to provide a thorough commentary on police brutality and gun culture in America. The installation features collections of small “zines” about police brutality in addition to words and images that make direct references to instances of police brutality. The artists describe the installation as an “altar dedicated to victims of police brutality and state sanctioned violence.” 'Hands Up: Testaments From the Policed' Following the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, one artist decided to highlight a string of theatrical performances that could boldly respond to police brutality and the racial disparities that leave young Black men desperately waiting for justice in America. The project features works from six different playwrights — Idris Goodwin, Nathan James, Nathan Yungerberg, Glenn Gordon, Eric Holmes and Dennis Allen II — that aimed to “share the voices” of unarmed Black people losing their lives to racism in America.

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