The Black Lives Matter Mural Project is located at 641 Euclid Avenue in Berkeley, California. It consists of two large panels painted on adjoining garage doors which document the names, dates, occupations, hobbies, livelihoods and manner of death for some of the many African Americans who have perished due to state violence and police brutality. The mural – started in June 2020 – is the inspiration of Karina Epperlein and is supervised by her. It is still in progress.
Photos by Bob Ng (more at beginning of this blog)
when i look at this wall it feels like a prayer or meditation in memory. as someone from a colonized history, my ancestors come from the islands known as "the philippines," reclaiming prayer, practicing prayer is sometimes a struggle. my imagination creates snapshots of the peoples' lives as my eyes wander and swim across the words. it feels like time traveling, feeling past present & future at once. the experience also shifts from inward to outward, from my memories to reflections on collectiveness, collective history, collective memory. it stirs up the experience of painting & sketching so closely to the wall - and it's interesting to take it in, the names, words, lives from close range and then from a distance across the street. it brings up feelings of last year's summer uprisings - anger, grief, determination, hope – created connections so strong in our community and beyond, crossed continents & oceans like a mycelium. it has existed before & will continue to exist, but i wonder how many people have disconnected or silenced the call in themselves since then.
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