ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Artists Respond to George Floyd's Death with Murals and Anti-Racism Resources

other · 2026-04-27

In the wake of George Floyd's murder by police in Minneapolis, artists globally have responded with murals and anti-racism initiatives. Notably, street artist Harry Greb in Rome substituted the Statue of Liberty's head with Floyd's visage, while Jorit in Naples depicted Floyd alongside figures like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and Lenin. In Minneapolis, a mural was completed in just 12 hours by Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrera, and Greta McLain at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South. The piece references Arthur Jafa's 'The White Album,' which won the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, and Kahlil Joseph's 'BLK NWS.' An open-source Anti-Racism Resource by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein offers films, books, and organizations for white self-education. The article also highlights contemporary artists exploring Black identity, including Theaster Gates, Kara Walker, and Kehinde Wiley, and notes the 2015 exhibition 'Nero su Bianco' at the American Academy in Rome, curated by Peter Miller, Lyle Ashton Harris, and Robert Storr.

Key facts

  • George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police.
  • Harry Greb created a mural in Rome replacing the Statue of Liberty's head with Floyd's face.
  • Jorit painted a mural in Naples with Floyd and civil rights leaders.
  • A mural in Minneapolis was painted by Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrera, and Greta McLain.
  • Arthur Jafa's 'The White Album' won the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale.
  • Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein created an Anti-Racism Resource.
  • The article lists numerous Black artists whose work addresses identity.
  • The 2015 exhibition 'Nero su Bianco' at the American Academy in Rome explored Afro-Italian identity.

Entities

Artists

  • Arthur Jafa
  • Kahlil Joseph
  • Harry Greb
  • Jorit
  • Xena Goldman
  • Cadex Herrera
  • Greta McLain
  • Niko Alexander
  • Pablo Hernandez
  • Theaster Gates
  • Kara Walker
  • Mark Bradford
  • Carrie Mae Weems
  • Lorna Simpson
  • Kehinde Wiley
  • David Hammons
  • Lyle Ashton Harris
  • Nari Ward
  • Emma Amos
  • Gordon Parks
  • Kerry James Marshall
  • Emory Douglas
  • Chris Ofili
  • Yinka Shonibare
  • Johanne Affricot
  • Steve McQueen
  • Martin Luther King
  • Malcolm X
  • Angela Davis
  • Lenin
  • George Floyd
  • Michael Brown
  • Eric Garner
  • Philando Castile
  • Trayvon Martin
  • Freddie Gray
  • Tamir Rice
  • Sarah Sophie Flicker
  • Alyssa Klein
  • Pragna Patel
  • Teresa Macrì
  • Peter Miller
  • Robert Storr
  • Ava DuVernay
  • Raoul Peck
  • Toni Morrison

Institutions

  • Venice Biennale
  • Artribune
  • Il Manifesto
  • Hyperallergic
  • Tate Modern
  • American Academy in Rome
  • Brooklyn Museum
  • Griot Magazine
  • L'Espresso
  • Suothall Black Sisters

Locations

  • Minneapolis
  • Rome
  • Naples
  • Barra
  • Villaggio Olimpico
  • 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South
  • Ferguson
  • Missouri
  • New York
  • Florida
  • Baltimore
  • Ohio
  • United States
  • Italy
  • Great Britain

Sources