Overview: Three BIPOC artist elevate above George Floyd Square
Two billboards above George Floyd Square serve as a canvas for community creatives. Phase 5 of the Social Justice Billboard Project highlights three Minneapolis artists who touch on social justice, hardship, connection and resilience.
Standing high above East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South, billboards at George Floyd Square are elevating BIPOC voices and artwork in Minneapolis.
NE Sculpture Gallery Factory is highlighting three artists in July as their work is displayed through the Social Justice Billboard Project.
The project was inspired by Peyton Scott Russell’s “Icon of a Revolution” mural placed at Floyd’s memorial site in 2020 following his murder.
In Phase 5 of the project, the featured artists explore social justice, hardship, connection and resilience.
Luis Fitch: “They Tried to Bury Us, They Didn’t Know We Were Seeds”
Created in response to Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis by artist Luis Fitch, this work reflects on the human consequences of fear, division and displacement while affirming the resilience of communities confronted by adversity. Fitch is a Mexican artist, working across gallery and public-space contexts; he creates a visual language rooted in Mexican traditions and shaped by contemporary design.
William Ransom: “Gospel of George 9:29”
The piece, by William Ransom, reflects on the revelation from the murder trial regarding the 9 minutes and 29 seconds it took to take George Floyd’s life. Ransom is an artist and sculptor whose work explores the intersection of material engagement, personal narrative, and our collective national story.
Ivan Watkins: “To All My Relations (Metakuye Oyasin)”
The artwork by Ivan Watkins depicts the cultural and spiritual connections between Black, Brown, and Red Nations. The imagery features a peaceful Rastaman and Native peace-pipe carrier wearing an American Indian Movement (A.I.M.) sash, with gravestones marked by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) logo. Watkins’ practice is deeply rooted in Lakota Spiritual Ways and his membership in the Native American Church.