New Digital Art Exhibit Features Dallas-Based Artist’s Sky-High Response to the Murder of George Floyd
Dallas Contemporary and Jammie Holmes Team Up To Present 'Everything Hurts'
BY Megan Ziots // 06.08.20
Artist Jammie Holmes teams up with Dallas Contemporary for new digital exhibition "Everything Hurts." (Photo courtesy of Jammie Holmes and Library Street Collective. Photo by Azim Ohm)
On May 30, as protests and support for Black Lives Matter began to swell around in Dallas and beyond, many likely saw photos of airplane banners presenting George Floyd’s last words. The banners soared over five U.S. cities last weekend. Detroit saw “Please I Can’t Breathe,” Miami read “My Stomach Hurts,” the words “Everything Hurts” flew over L.A., and “They’re Going to Kill Me” over New York. Locally, some may have seen the words “My Neck Hurts” fly over the city — all the result of Dallas-based artist Jammie Holmes’ incredible response to the murder of George Floyd.
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Holmes says that using planes was a way to divert from the chaos on the ground. “It gave people a break and a real moment of of silence for George Floyd,” he tells PaperCity. “I know when I fly, there’s a relaxing feeling being in the sky. It’s almost like a break.” The five cities were also chosen as a way to cover each coast, ensuring the statements could be seen by as many people as possible.
In order to amplify and build upon Holmes’ work, Dallas Contemporary art museum will be featuring a free digital exhibit, launching on Tuesday, June 16, on their website. Supported by Detroit-based Library Street Collective, the exhibit will feature documentation from the public demonstration initiated by Holmes about a week ago.
Dallas Contemporary had reached out to Holmes and his gallery (Library Street) to set up the exhibit. “I think it’s going to tie-in to the Dallas community as a whole. For everyone to come and discuss necessary changes in our community,” he says. “It’ll be a platform to have open discussions where people can add comments and talk to each other.”
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“I’m proud to partner with Dallas Contemporary to expand the presence and ideas behind ‘THEY’RE GOING TO KILL ME.’ as an opportunity to discuss how support of the black community and fighting racism and police brutality from inside all institutions — political and social, art and otherwise — is crucial for lasting change,” Holmes says in a release. “Dallas is my home, and I know we can do better together.”
Born in Thibodaux, Louisiana to a Sierra Leonean father, Jammie Holmes grew up impoverished in Southern Louisiana. He taught himself how to paint and is defined as a neo-expressionist painter who regularly seeks to address religious, political, and contemporary issues.
As for Holmes’ latest work, the artist stated on May 30: “I hope that people across the United States will use the outlets available to them to continue to demand change. The use of sky media to recount Floyd’s final words presents a contrast to the noise of digital media and employs a form of communication that is most often used by the privileged to announce sporting events, marriage proposals, or promote consumption.”
“It is rarely used for political or social purposes – to exercise free speech – because it is an outlet unavailable to the poor and marginalized. I hope that people will be reminded of the power we can have to be heard and that coming together behind a unified message is key for real change.”
Beginning online on June 16, the free programming will include remote panels (at least two hosted by Dallas Contemporary) and resources to inspire action against systemic racism. Holmes, along with Dallas Contemporary and Library Street Collective, are encouraging all to enact change my signing petitions and donating to organizations like Official George Floyd Memorial Fund, I Run With Maud, Justice for Breonna Taylor, Campaign Zero, and Reclaim the Block.
