Queens Street Artist Savior Elmundo uses the innocence of the beloved comic strip characters ‘The Peanuts Gang’ in a plea to end Police brutality for the sake of children.

What You Need To Know:

  • Bronx Artist Alicia Grullon has created several powerful works about police violence against people of color.
  • Chinese Artist Linjie Deng has used traditional Chinese Calligraphy in many works.
  • Queens Street Artist Savior Elmundo used the beloved Peanuts Gang to remind people that children are impacted by violence.
  • President of BRIC, Kristina Newman-Scott says protest art has always been a powerful part of movements for change.

“This painting is ‘Stop Police Brutality.’ We’ve had enough. Art is power. Art is a healing process we need. People need art in their life so the only way, without using violence, we can use art we can use messages,” said Savior Elmundo.

 

 

In a powerful performance done before the pandemic, Bronx artist Alicia Grullon walked blindfolded in the city with strangers directing her to safety. The only rule was that they had to say the name from a list of more than 70 women killed by police, or those who died in police custody.

“They would need to tell me 'Sandra Bland Step to the right,” said Grullon.

In this work, she responds to the 2014 death of Eric Garner in an illegal chokehold by a NYC police officer.

“I think that the power of art that comes into play in protests or large movements is that it captures the unspeakable. The more abstract the aspects that we feel, the angst, the scary moments or the excitement that we’re at a point where we’re asking for these changes,” said Grullon.

The Brooklyn arts organization Smack Mellon Brooklyn is using its social media platform to showcase artists making work in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

 

Kristina Newman-Scott, of the arts organization BRIC says this kind of art touches people in a unique way.

“I think at a moment like this when you see protest art it’s truly from my perspective, it’s the visual manifestation of our feelings, of our pain of our hopefulness of our dreams,” said Newman-Scott.

Chinese Artist Linjie Deng uses traditional Chinese calligraphy on his own skin to celebrate his love of NYC’s diversity and his solidarity.

 

 

 

“In English, that means Asian Black Together. I created this artwork to show that Asian community and black community can stand together to fight the hatred and discrimination,” said Deng.

“The kind of art we’re seeing right now is unapologetic. Black power symbols, clear and distinct fonts, that is about making statements and not asking for permission,” said Newman-Scott.

And in many cases, making demands for change and an end to racial injustice.