Unfettered
About: This piece is entirely imaginary and painted similar to the manner of a rorsharch test- no plan, no reference, just running with it. Initially this tiny painting (the original is about the size of an index card) was called 'she just wanted to get through' and it was an adult woman in mid stride. I thought about women simply wanting to go places and getting hassled and black guys at starbucks wanting to get coffee and getting arrested...and i figured that is a pretty simple and universal desire; to move unimpeded through the world. Why the hell is it so hard to offer that to one another? Why the hell has it been so hard for America to offer that to black people?
For the first time in my 35 years I am hearing people ask this out loud. As a white person I want to listen. I want to act through whatever means possible to create a little more breathing room for black, brown & indigienous people that have felt constrained in this country for too long.
The painting shifted and she seemed to shrink to a child and stand very still. Dreams of disappearing occured to me- to disappear into ones future or past, into nothing or nature- this is also a common dream, no? The red of the coat seemed to make a good joke, making her as eye catching as possible. The impossiblity of disappearing and this childs bold presence are what remain.
Unsigned Print
Image generated to show sense of scale at large; 16" x 28"