Painting: Mississippi God Damn
Mississippi God Damn
Measurements/Medium: 10 x 10 Canvas / Acrylic
Framed By: Innerwood Gallery
1021 Saratoga Road/Route 50
Ballston Lake, New York 12019
518-399-8504
Price: $300.00
Overview: This piece was completed in December of 2024. I have been working on and off on this piece in my studio for about 2 years now. Twice during this period I thought I had finished the piece, but both times, there was something that made me reopen the project. I can say with much certainty that this may be one of the most meaningful and significant pieces I have created.
Process: Like I mentioned this painting took me about two years to complete. I can't say there was ever a time where I worked on this for days on end. The work was admittedly very piecemeal and was based upon the time I actually had free to create, and the time I was feeling passionate about this painting in particular.
I began the painting by drawing an outline of the profile based upon some early photographs of Angela Davis. I certainly did not copy any specific photograph of Angela, I just looked closely at some photographs of her and used those to guide my drawing of the profile of a beautiful African American woman.
From there I painted multiple layers of gesso on a blank canvas. I then created some fun designs with those layers and allowed them to dry. Next, I taped an outline of the profile I created and then added two or three layers of a black paint over the dried textured gesso. Following that I began working on the profile adding three layers of gold and then a layer of golden stickers that I found and wanted to try out. Well, the stickers and glue that I used to hold the stickers did not pan out. I ended up peeling them off, and adding another layer of golden paint using a circling motion of painting to create a texture and appearance that I felt was powerful.
In the end I added some golden plastic stars, painted over the stars and background again with another layer of black, and then touched off the stars with some beautiful gold. This piece was finished with a protective varnish.
Meaning: This piece represents my feelings towards what I perceive as racism towards African Americans in the United States of America. I have intense feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, and contempt towards the racial history of the United States (a country in which I am a proud citizen) as well as the the current racial climate of this nation. I have always looked up to the passion with which many African Americans have expressed themselves to fight the injustices towards them, both in the past and the present. Figures like Angela Davis, Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have always interested me and have driven me to learn more about the horrible policies and attitudes whites have had towards African Americans on this land since 1619.
I also happen to be a fan of Nina Simone and her amazing music. A couple of years ago on Youtube I came across Nina Simone performing a live version of her song Mississippi God Damn. The performance and the song itself, stirred in me so much emotion, that I had the immediate urge to create. For me, as an artist, so often a painting or a poem comes from the intense feelings inside of me that I want to express.
This painting represents all of me, all of my current feelings toward racism in the United States of America. This painting also represents my love of the music of Nina Simone and serves as a tribute to Nina in all of her musical excellence. While admittedly the importance of my views/thoughts/opinions are absolutely insignificant in relation to the world, I have chosen to share my feelings through this piece of art. I hope that you can get some sense of that while viewing my work. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate you!