One artist has decided to reintroduce the Black Panther Party to the world through visual art, Newsweek reports.
Sophia Dawson is currently showing her collection “Correspondence” at the Okay Space Gallery in Brooklyn. The exhibition features portraits of Black Panther leaders, considered political prisoners, accompanied by words of encouragement and information of the subject pictured.
Dawson became fascinated by the Black Panthers, after watching a documentary on the group, while she attended New York’s School of Visual Arts. For her, they represented a special type of courage.
“It was the first time I saw men and women standing up, and risking their lives, for our generation in such a profound way. I’ve experienced being pregnant, being hungry, being broke and being in an abusive relationship. I was a complete product of the system,” Dawson said. “The only thing that was different was that I was in college. I saw this movement led by so many people I was unfamiliar with, and I thought, ‘Damn, these people went through all of that so I wouldn’t’ have to go through this. And yet here I am.’”
She began painting the collection eight years ago. It features various Panthers, including Assata Shakur and Mutulu Shakur. Assata is currently living in exile in Cuba, and Mutulu founded two health clinics in New York and is currently serving time in connection with two armed robberies that resulted in three deaths. Mutulu Shakur denies killing anyone, and Assata Shakur's supporters believe her to be innocent of any wrongdoing as well.
Although the Black Panthers were prominent in the 60s and 70s, Dawson feels like the movement of yesteryear is comparable with what is happening in the present day.
“I think it’s interesting that all this is happening right now with Colin Kaepernick, NFL protests and protests against the shooting of black men,” she said. “It’s no different from 1968, when the Black Panther Black Power salute occurred in the Olympics [in Mexico City]. Tommie Smith and John Carlos were stripped of their medals for raising their fists in solidarity, a sign of the police brutality and inequalities their community was facing at the time.”
By acknowledging that connection, Dawson hopes that today’s activists will not repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. She feels like the generations should communicate so today’s movement will be stronger.
“If you’re doing all of this wholeheartedly, and you don’t know what happened to people who did this type of work before, you risk repeating their mistakes. You risk being in the same predicament they’re in now,” said Dawson. “If this whole generation was dead and gone, that would be another story. While they’re still here, why aren’t we asking them for advice? Why aren’t we tapping the people who were being active first?"
If you'll be in New York this month, you can see Dawson's work for yourself at the Okay Space Gallery until February 24.
