BLACK LIVES MATTER@ LUIS DE JESUS LOS ANGELES

I firmly believe that artists have a special and unique role to play in fostering conversations about racial inequity and racial violence. Since the first day that we opened our doors in 2007, we have been committed to supporting the creative visions of emerging and mid-career artists who bring light to the injustices that African Americans, Latinos and all people of color are subjected to in this country. We have a moral obligation to speak out against injustice, wherever it exists, and we stand in solidarity with all who are working to bring real change to our country by fighting the systemic racism in our society.  

–  Luis De Jesus

June Edmonds’s Flag Paintings explore the American flag as a malleable symbol of ideals, promises, and identity and create space for the inclusion of multivalent identities that consider race, nationality, gender, and political leanings. Each painting is associated with the narrative of an African American, past or present, a current event, or an anecdote from American history. Color has played an especially important role in the intersection of Edmonds’s personal, political, and artistic journeys. Color associations can be tied to culturally symbolic imagery, trauma, and emotion, giving color the unique discursive ability to communicate about power and systemic disenfranchisement.