Angela Davis Johnson. Remember, 2015. From the series Ashes on The Fruit Trees.
Ms. Davis said of this series:
“I decided to approach this body of work with a question: If ashes spoke about the history of American lynching (both of the distant past and present) what would they say? Through twenty-six paintings I explore the trauma, and ultimately the dignity of a survived people. The work comprises of eight un-stretched canvases anchored onto wood with rope. Eighteen small monotypes with the words of sorrow songs/contemporary lyrics act as connector between the larger work. This piece [above] is titled “remember.” It is an Ash Spirit. Hanging nooses in her tree hair are calling us to remember the lives of lost and understand the pain of the present.”