Artists as Activists: Black Lives Matter Art

Inside: Black Lives Matter art from across the Internet.

At Art Class Curator, we believe art should challenge us and inspire us. In this post, we feature some of the art that we’ve been looking at during this historic moment—from famous artists to those connecting on social media to slam poetry from students and adults. Many of these artworks are challenging, difficult to see or listen to, which makes them all the more important. We cannot look away. We cannot be silent. Sitting with our thoughts and the facts may be uncomfortable, but that discomfort must be the catalyst for change.

Black Lives Matter Art

Faith Ringgold, United States of Attica, 1972

Faith Ringgold, American People Series #20: Die, 1967 (See the artist discuss this painting here.)

By @nikkolas_smith on Instagram

By @madame_maya on Instagram

By @eme_freethinker on Instagram

By @doctaword on Instagram

By @shirien.creates on Instagram

By @artworkbychill on Instagram

artist unknown

artist unknown

This bronze sculpture sits outside the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building. Titled Serve and Protect, the artist, Gregory Ragland, used the ASL sign meaning ‘to serve’ as a representation of what the community expected from its first responders. An unknown protestor changed the symbolic meaning by pouring red, blood-like paint over the palms.

Black Lives Matter Art — Slam Poetry

Letter To Your Flag

Emmett

Black Poetry (Contains strong language)

cuz he’s black