Black Lives Matter 2015: Conceptual Project

Pencil Text: STOP PRETENDING

Image: Forced Smile

Through a forced smile, I have continuously pretended to be okay, in the face injustice. The pencil text describes the need to stop pretending. STOP SMILING

Pencil Text: WAKE UP AND LISTEN

Image: Ignore, close your eyes. Don’t listen.

By continuing to not see or hear the injustices in the world, I am ignoring the issues that affect me, and others of my race. The text shows the urgency, and the need of myself to, WAKE UP and LISTEN.

Pencil Text: SPEAK

Image: Silence

In this image, I show how I have continuously remained silent on the issues that impact me and my community. The text, written over the gag covering my mouth shows the urgency to speak on the issues that impact myself and my community. SPEAK

The following images show the symbolic representations of myself and how I have continuously ignored or censored myself in certain situations, by refusing, or being too timid to speak about the issues that impact my community. At the root of this collection, I make a personal statement and declaration, to continuously involve myself in speaking my opinions without shame or self-doubt.

The totality of this piece is my declaration, to stop pretending, to wake up and listen and to speak. In totality my message is, BLACK LIVES MATTER, as seen through red text.