The Art Of An Uprising: Paint And Plywood Memorialize George Floyd
By Babette Thomas
December 20, 2020
The protests that erupted after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police have largely faded — but the colorful murals they inspired still line streets across the country. These murals were mostly painted on the pieces of plywood used to protect storefronts, and often memorialize not only Floyd but other victims of police killings, including Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade. It’s another way they live on, and remind passers-by of why this movement began in the first place.
Unlike going to a museum to see work made by your favorite artist, in many ways these murals come to you. Wandering through the streets of my hometown of Oakland, Calif., I couldn’t help but wonder: Who are the artists behind these murals? And what is it about this moment in particular that inspired them to distill their emotions into such powerful imagery? As winter approaches and the protests become less frequent, how are communities going to preserve these murals that now memorialize history?