Arts Community for Black Lives

We at Painters on Paintings believe Black Lives Matter and fully support all those protesting and taking actions to demand a more just society. With all of you, we mourn George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nina Pop, Tony McDade and the all-too-many black Americans whose lives have been taken at the hands of police who have been perpetrating or ignoring rampant brutality. These recent events are a continuation of systematic racism that has existed in this country since its founding. We believe that serious reform is needed to address the pervasive structural inequalities embedded in our social systems. As artists and editors, we recognize the importance of examining how this bias works in the art world and runs through the art historical canon. We look forward to celebrating, in this journal, the powerful work and writing of POC and other artists lending their voices to this movement.

We wanted to share some excellent resources for organizing, taking healing actions, and amplifying the conversation about racism in America compiled by Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/resources/

Please consider signing this open letter from Arts and Cultural Workers of NYC "demanding the defunding of the police and investment in BIPOC communities:" https://artsworkersforblacklives.com/

We are continuing our Alone Together series and look forward to sharing the voices of artists who are participating in this call for radical change and speaking to the role art is playing during this extraordinary time in people's hearts and on the streets. Let us know if you have something to share.

In Solidarity,
Painters on Paintings