Mollie Thonneson, Jersey City, NJ Drawing Rooms/Topps Building, Jersey City, NJ
I was drawn to the project, Prayers for Progress, as a way to voice my support for the Black Lives Matter movement that is bringing awareness and demanding changes to the systemic racism and abuse that has plagued Black people for the entire history of the United States. I believe public art has the ability to reach a broader audience than its gallery and museum alternatives and can be the perfect vehicle to echo the explosive and physical nature of the BLM protests. CMYK CMYK represents unity and is my interpretation of prayer flags made by Tibetan monks. It is my intent to express and celebrate the commonality among humans. The name CMYK is a metaphor for skin color. CMYK is the acronym for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black; the colors used in the printing process that make up all colors. The fifteen canvas flags are painted in these colors. A simple and stylized eye in the center of each flag represents our soul. Each flag was cut and reassembled in unexpected ways to acknowledge each individual’s uniqueness within the whole. The flags are hanging on the outside of an industrial building, alongside a road busy with cars and a commuter train track. Whether or not people understand my nuanced metaphors as they go whizzing by I can’t say, but I hope at least the good intention of my Flags for Progress make them smile.
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