Love, Justice, & Art

STORY & PHOTOS BY

GRACE WIDYATMADJA THE pursuit for justice in the midst of a global pandemic has led many artists to find solace and support in their creative works. In the heart of downtown Long Beach, artists have come together to bring life to the boarded up windows of the Long Beach Museum of Art, expressing a commitment to unity, solidarity, and justice for Black lives. These photos were taken with a disposable Kodak film camera, and all of these pieces can be found at the Long Beach Museum of Art Exchange at 356 E. Third St., in downtown Long Beach.

STEVE MARTINEZ @stevemartinezart

In his piece, Martinez acknowledges that the world currently faces two pandemics: Covid-19 and racism. The quote “I can’t breathe” comes from George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by Minneapolis police officers back in May. The police officers were seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck and body for eight minutes and 46 seconds, leading to his inability to breathe. The powerful image of the Black fist holding the mask recognizes that the fight to contain the coronavirus is fought alongside the call to end racism, both of which are taking the most harmful toll against BIPOC.

MARK ESPIRITU @mspiritu

A stand-alone portrait of George Floyd, a Black man whose life was taken but ignited a revolution, this piece was done with the artist Espiritu’s unique style involving colorful streaks to detail portraits.

MEGHAN BOSTRENBROOD @mara.bubblegum

The artist is known for her signature use of bright colors in many of her pieces. This mural was done by the artist as a commitment to be more inclusive in all of her pieces in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

NAT IOSBAKER, MOOK, & KARINA VAZQUEZ @natiosbaker | @reapo.inc | @sleepy.day.dreams

“The mural was painted in collaboration with my friends Mook and Karina. The fancy letters began with Maya Angelou’s quote ‘still I rise’ in mind, but led to the directness that was still needed with the ‘BLM’ for Black Lives Matter. This is all over layers of [Long Beach] port and sea iconography as a distinct stenciled camo pattern inspired by the reaper’s cloak, which is a style derived from Mook’s art. The plants growing around the ‘LBC’ are a contribution from Karina, as well as a lovely mother/daughter combo of volunteers who drove by and stopped to help.” - Nat Iosbaker, artist

ARTIST - UNKNOWN

Inspired by the Aloe Blacc song “Love is the Answer,” this mural reflects Blacc’s song lyrics and the ultimate message of the song, which is to encourage people to spread love.

LEANNE @lebo143

The artist painted a piece of a universally known quote by the famous musician Jimi Hendrix accompanied by a black-and-white portrait of the musician.

CATA ELISABETH ROMO @chueca11

Inspired by a quote from Octavia Butler’s book, “The Parable of the Talents”, this piece was a science fiction writer who made strides in literature centering African American females as leads.