Following the historic outcome in the Derek Chauvin trial, April 21, 2021 was declared a day of reflection and healing at St. Olaf College. Flaten Art Museum and the Department of Art and Art History invited the community to create a collaborative wall drawing in the Center for Art and Dance’s central corridor. Borrowing Jerry Blackwell’s phrase, “bouquet of humanity,” referenced in Keith Ellison’s remarks following the trial verdict on April 20, this collective action was offered as a dedication to the bystanders who witnessed and testified to the violence that took the life of George Floyd, and the jurors who served in the trial. Students, faculty, and staff poured into the Center for Art and Dance throughout the day, reflecting, creating, and re-committing to the long-term work of restorative healing and justice. The drawing is ongoing, evolving work of art. Community members continue to add their marks, leave flowers, and sit in reflection.
The Virtual Exhibition Experience for the 2021 Senior Show, taken on April 30, captures the wall in detail.
The Flaten Art Museum and Department of Art and Art History wish to thank María Pabón Gautier, Interim Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, for her leadership around the day for reflection and healing, and the many artists who have contributed to the collective wall drawing.
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