An advertising company has rejected an artist’s depiction of George Floyd’s death that was set to be displayed on a billboard in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in January.
Clear Channel Outdoor, the owner of the Minneapolis billboard where the art was set to be displayed, sent an email to Brooklyn artist Don Perlis on Thursday, informing him that the outdoor rendering of his oil-on-canvas painting entitled Floyd was being rejected because it depicts “acts of violence.”
“Unfortunately, after going through our PR team, your Bulletin design has been rejected because it ‘Depicts Acts of Violence’ … I apologize for the inconvenience. Is there another image (maybe just of George Floyd) that you can switch out the image for?” the email read, KARE 11 reported.
Billboard depicting George Floyd s death rejected by Clear Channel
The billboard, which has been displayed in New York City s Times Square, would have gone up in downtown Minneapolis in January. Author: Lou Raguse Updated: 5:10 PM CST December 11, 2020
MINNEAPOLIS It is a raw, emotional depiction of the death of George Floyd painted by New York artist Don Perlis and turned into a billboard by a group called the George Floyd Justice Billboard Campaign.
It was prominently displayed in Times Square. I wanted to make a painting out of it where I could compress the horror into a single instant. Just to show the humanity of all of it. That s the thing that reaches everyone is the humanity of it, Perlis said.