Black Lives Matter art in New York City explained

Many artworks related to the Black Lives Matter movement were created in New York City, during local protests over the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans.

Public art

In addition to street murals, cultural organizations transformed their facades into canvasses for Black Lives Matter. These included: The Africa Center, the Daryl Roth Theatre, and St. Ann's Warehouse's Supremacy Project.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Some organizations, including the Museum of the City of New York mounted temporary public art installations that highlighted the intersections between the BLM protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Bust of George Floyd

A bust of George Floyd was unveiled and installed at Flatbush Junction (at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue) in Flatbush, Brooklyn in June, 2021 coinciding with Juneteenth.[6] After a month in the Flatbush location, the bust moved to Union Square, Manhattan. While in Brooklyn, the bust was vandalized with black spray paint. The bust was quickly restored.[7]

Street murals

See also: List of Black Lives Matter street murals.

On June 9, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to rename and paint in each of the five boroughs of New York City in honor of Black Lives Matter in consultation with city leaders, advocates, and the city council. He stated "It's time to do something officially representing this city to recognize the power of the fundamental idea of Black Lives Matter, the idea that so much of American history has wrongly renounced, but now must be affirmed."[8] [9] [10] Efforts were made to have the murals reflect their locations, as well as the overall movement.[11]

On June 14, volunteers painted "Black Lives Matter" in yellow along Fulton Street in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.[12] The second mural was painted on June 19 along Richmond Terrace on the North Shore of Staten Island between the borough hall and a police precinct.[13]

Plans were stated for murals along 153rd Street in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Center Street in Manhattan, and Morris Avenue in the Bronx.[14] Two additional murals were planned for Manhattan, including one on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, reminiscent of the original mural in front of the White House.[15] The plan for Fifth Avenue was criticized by Donald Trump, as he called it a "symbol of hate" and criticized Blasio for defunding the police by while authorizing the mural.[16] [17] The mural on Fifth Avenue was painted on, with help from Mayor de Blasio and members of the Central Park Five.[18] [19]

Notes and References

  1. News: Rabinowitz . Chloe . St. Ann's Warehouse Presents SUPREMACY PROJECT . 18 August 2021 . BroadwayWorld.com . 26 January 2021 . en . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818193640/https://www.broadwayworld.com/brooklyn/article/St-Anns-Warehouse-Presents-SUPREMACY-PROJECT-20210126 . live .
  2. Web site: BLACK LIVES MATTER: NEW WINDOW INSTALLATION AND TRIBUTE UNVEILING . The Africa Center . 18 August 2021 . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818190606/https://www.theafricacenter.org/events/black-lives-matter-new-window-installation/ . live .
  3. News: Takin' it to the streets, the steps, the parks, the walls . 18 August 2021 . The Village Sun . 16 June 2020 . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818193641/https://thevillagesun.com/takin-it-to-the-streets-the-steps-the-parks-the-fences . live .
  4. Web site: Union Square Savings Bank, now The Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 East 15th St., Manhattan . Library of Congress . 18 August 2021 . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818193639/https://www.loc.gov/item/2020637216/ . live .
  5. Web site: New York Responds: The First Six Months . Museum of the City of New York . 18 August 2021 . en . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818193641/https://www.mcny.org/exhibition/nyresponds . live .
  6. Web site: 2021-07-23. George Floyd Statue Heads To Union Square. 2021-08-22. en-US. 2021-08-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20210822205116/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/07/23/george-floyd-statue-heads-to-union-square/. live.
  7. Web site: WABC. 2021-07-23. Repaired bust of George Floyd unveiled in Brooklyn after spray-painted by vandals. 2021-08-22. ABC7 New York. en. 2021-08-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20210822205116/https://abc7ny.com/10904690/. live.
  8. Web site: Marsh. Julia. Musumeci. Natalie. 2020-06-09. De Blasio: NYC will paint, rename streets to honor Black Lives Matter. 2020-06-09. New York Post. en. 2020-06-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609184256/https://nypost.com/2020/06/09/nyc-to-paint-rename-streets-to-honor-black-lives-matter/. live.
  9. Web site: 2020-06-09. New York City To Paint 'Black Lives Matter' On Prominent Streets In All 5 Boroughs, De Blasio Says. 2020-06-09. en-US. 2020-06-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609180659/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/06/09/new-york-city-to-paint-black-lives-matter-on-prominent-streets-in-all-5-boroughs-de-blasio-says/. live.
  10. Web site: Kristina. Sgueglia. New York City will name a street 'Black Lives Matter' in each borough. 2020-06-09. CNN. 9 June 2020 . 2020-06-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609202448/https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/us/nyc-black-lives-matter/index.html. live.
  11. News: Yakas . Ben . See Drone Footage Of All Eight Black Lives Matter Murals In NYC . 18 August 2021 . Gothamist . 3 August 2020 . en . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818202857/https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/see-drone-footage-all-eight-black-lives-matter-murals-nyc . live .
  12. News: 'A signal of what's possible': Brooklyn street painted over with massive Black Lives Matter mural. Jordan. Rencher. Dave. Goldiner. New York Daily News. June 14, 2020. June 15, 2020. June 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200615000134/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-mural-brooklyn-fulton-street-black-lives-matter-20200614-2twr4k4adfhuhjg2uemoyj37ea-story.html. live.
  13. News: NYC's second Black Lives Matter street mural coming to Richmond Terrace, closing off roadway until June 26. Sydney. Kashiwagi. Staten Island Advance. June 18, 2020. June 18, 2020. June 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200618072340/https://www.silive.com/news/2020/06/nycs-second-black-lives-matter-street-mural-coming-to-richmond-terrace-closing-off-roadway-until-june-26.html. live.
  14. News: Black Lives Matter street mural coming to 153rd Street in Queens. David. Brand. Queens Daily Eagle. June 19, 2020. June 19, 2020. June 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200620190034/https://queenseagle.com/all/black-lives-matter-queens-153rd-street-painting. live.
  15. News: 'Black Lives Matter' Will Be Painted Outside Trump Tower in N.Y.C.. Mihir. Zaveri. The New York Times. June 25, 2020. June 25, 2020. July 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200710185109/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/nyregion/black-lives-matter-trump-tower-nyc.html. live.
  16. Web site: Trump: Painting 'Black Lives Matter' On 5th Avenue Would Be 'Symbol Of Hate'. 2020-07-01. NPR.org. July 2020 . en. 2020-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20200701193516/https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/01/885944289/trump-painting-black-lives-matter-on-5th-avenue-would-be-symbol-of-hate. live. Sprunt . Barbara . Snell . Kelsey .
  17. Web site: Twitter. mobile.twitter.com. 2021-08-18. 2020-08-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20200824083209/https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1278324680311681024. live.
  18. Web site: N.Y.C. Paints 'Black Lives Matter' in Front of Trump Tower. https://archive.today/20200710035721/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/nyregion/blm-trump-tower.html. dead. 10 July 2020. Michael. Gold. Daniel E.. Slotnik. July 9, 2020. NYTimes.com. 20 October 2020.
  19. Web site: City painting Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower. July 9, 2020. www.radio.com. August 18, 2021. October 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201022185857/https://www.radio.com/1010wins/articles/city-painting-black-lives-matter-mural-outside-trump-tower. live.