“So long as they speak your name, you shall never die.”

- Dan Brown

“From Trayvon to Antwon” was created to honor the victims of police brutality and racial hate crime throughout American history, as well as their (approximate for some) birthdays*. The piece centers on Trayvon Martin and Antwon Rose II, two boys who lost their lives due to racial terror and state violence, respectively*. From the deaths of these two boys, the piece further delves into the history of the loss of life due to the actions of the state as well as domestic white supremacist terror and how it connects to death still caused in the present day. By focusing on their dates of birth rather than their dates of death, it reinforces that these people were living human beings with loved ones, aspirations, and personalities, not just hashtags or gravestones. Quoting Dan Brown at the bottom, “…so long as we speak their names, they shall never die.”

“From Trayvon to Antwon” was created with full body acrylic and artist marker on a 24” by 36” gallery-wrapped canvas. It features a black hoodie filled to burst with purple roses, standing with two burning candles resting on his shoulders. Behind him are the names of those lost to police brutality and domestic terror, along with their birthdays. Before the two candles are the names and birthdays of Trayvon Martin and Antwon Rose II*.

Original currently unavailable for purchase.

*statement is a matter of opinion that has no bearing on legal decisions made around such incidents.