Mixed Media Collage No. 15
Four Days in 2020: May 25 | Second in a series of four | 2021 | Mixed media; cut paper, graphite, and oil on BFK Rives 100% cotton paper | 22.5 x 30 inches
On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis made world news as four police officers killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, during his arrest on 38th St., outside a nearby Cup Foods store. Floyd was accused of using a counterfeit bill and a store employee called 911. During Floyd’s arrest, police officer Derek Chauvin restrained Floyd, face-down on the pavement, and pushed his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, slowly killing him. The three other officers present did not stop Chauvin or render aid to a pleading George Floyd, even as bystanders also pleaded with police. The entire event was captured on video and shared widely on social media. Floyd’s brutal death at the hands of the police sparked national protests. In Minneapolis, some protests turned into firey riots, as police clashed with angry protestors. It was later learned that the first fires were started by a white male agitator from out of town. #BlackLivesMatter
Unless otherwise noted, photographs are royalty-free or part of the public domain. The following photographs used in the collage were obtained through Creative Commons and were modified for artistic purposes. Reasonable attempts were made to attribute credit. Errors or omissions will be corrected if found.
Credits:
National Guard helicopter cut from National Guard Helicopter, by Chad Davis via Flickr by is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Image of Minnesota State Troopers cut from "Minneapolis Uprising" by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Image of Minneapolis Police officer William Martin by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Image of rubber grenade cut from Defense Technology Rubber Ball Blast Grenade - Minneapolis Police by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Image of a rally outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis cut from "Vigil for George Floyd at Chicago Avenue & 38th Street" by Fibonacci Blue is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Image of a protestor with Black Lives Matter sign cut from "Protest against police violence - Justice for George Floyd" by Fibonacci Blue is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Other photographs are used with permission or were taken by the artist.
Artwork © Erika Brask, 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this artwork may be reproduced or used in any form, or through any means — graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, downloading, information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission from the artist.