
Over the past few years the killing of unarmed citizens has sky rocketed. The majority of the unarmed killings were from the black community. This rage has led African Americans around the nation to take a stand. After the killing of Treyvon Martin back in 2012, there was a formation of a group called “Black Lives Matter”. This was a group of activists that spoke out against violence and systematic racist toward black people. Apart from the movement to support Black Lives Matter, there has been many illustrations painted across the walls of our country to open the eyes of others. One piece of art work was painted on Stark Street in Portland, Oregon. It shows an African American man being shot by white police officers. There is a dove in the painting representing that the black man wants peace but the police is looking past that; all they really care about is the color of the man’s skin. This painting sends a message that African Americans just want to live, but their lives are being cut short because of the color of their skin.

The painting from Starks Street, has a clear message showing Black Lives Matter, but in a unique way. What stands out the most about this painting is the black man with his eyes closed as if he is praying and has his hands held up. The next eye catcher are the police in their riot suits with the gun to the back of the head of the man. By looking at the two images in this painting you see pieces of the man’s head falling to pieces where the officers have the gun pointed. The pieces falling are the pieces of memory and struggle being blown away. The effects people see by looking at the photograph get them more emotional because pieces of his head are missing rather than his head being blown off. 

Another important part of this image are the man’s hands and the heart floating between the hands of the man, symbolizing another life gone. His hands can symbolize being tired of hiding and running and sacrificing himself for his people. By viewing the image, the hands show you that he is willing to give life in order to save the lives of others. Right in front of the man is a heart that is being lifted by the man’s hands. The heart represents life for the black community, because without a heart there is no life. With these two images put together it looks like the black man is sacrificing his life. Allowing himself to be killed by the officer, he knows he is dying for a purpose. This represents the people in the black community hoping it will put an end to all the madness. The heart can also be a representation of love. Maybe the man is asking his creator what happened to “thy love my neighbor.” Shouldn’t we all love each other despite the color of our skin? This image of the heart can be a good representation of what the black community’s hearts are searching for.

 Following by the heart there is a bird leaving the picture as if the man has died and gone to heaven. By viewing the painting, you can tell that the visual is directed to the nation as a whole. The man is not fighting for his life just like the innocent people being killed by police. They don’t know that the people who are supposed to protect us are going to end up killing them until it happens. This is showing us what is happening in our nation, but won’t stop unless we take a stand. The “love for thy neighbor” is gone because there is no peace among the black community. The doves are an instinctive type of bird. It can symbolize many different things. In this picture the dove is a self- sacrifice that the man in the photograph is making a sacrifice for his people. There is a dove seen on the corner of the man’s head as if it has come from his mouth. The dove could be his soul leaving his body entering into heaven. After analyzing the dove, I found it interesting that his wings were spread like it was about to take flight.

 In the painting you can clearly see that the officers have shot the man in the back of the head and have taken his life. That’s where the bird comes into play as it leaves the scene as if he has to enter into heaven. The painting is demanding you to take a stand to save the black community.

The black man in the photograph represents the black community. The movement when he held his hands high up like he was praying, represents all the ones that died and for others in the community. By looking at the man I can infer that he is praying for change and hope by the way he held his hands out. The hope for equality and the killing of the black community to stop. The man also has his eyes closed and his mouth open with his head turned to the sky as if he was waiting on a response from his creator. His face is also glowing in the photograph like the gates of heaven has opened.  

Hidden in the photograph, you can also find two policeman creeping behind the black man with their guns drawn. The officers also have masks on as if they were hiding from something. This photo may represent that society is hiding the fact that innocent people are being killed and they look at it as they deserve it. I also noticed that the officers are wearing black gloves, as if they don’t want anyone to know who the killer. This image can mean that the murders in the black community is being heard but society is not doing anything to stop it. The fact that these police are hidden with masks and gloves makes it seem as if the government is protecting the officers who kills harmful unarmed citizens. 

Color scheme plays a big part in the painting as a whole. While observing the picture I could tell that the black man praying with his eyes closed was peaceful and harmless. For example, there is bright orange and yellow lighting around the man’s head. He was also dressed in bright colored clothing and it appeared to be some type of light shining down upon him. The color scheme gives you a sense that the black man is peaceful and harmless. On the flip side the officer’s colors in the painting were very dark and negative. Both officers had on dark purple coats, black masks, and black gloves. By comparing the pictures, you could see clearly that the man is begging for the killing to stop if he sacrifices himself.

Overall you could emphasis that the painting was created to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The painting also holds a valuable message: that killing of unarmed citizens is on a rise but nothing is being done about it. The artist made sure it specified that the majority of the victims are within the black community. Looking at the message it could be known that innocent and peaceful people are getting killed for no reason and nothing is being done to stop it. 
