On June 9, the Charlotte artistic community came together in a major way. Spearheaded by Blk Mrkt Clt co-owner Dammit Wesley, a larger-than-life interpretation of the Black Lives Matter movement was constructed on one of downtown Charlotte’s main streets.
The Block had the opportunity to catch up with Wesley to get his thoughts on organizing the movement, and why it was needed in this moment.
“I am in pain,” artist Dammit Wesley tells The Block.
Truly his sentiments don’t fall on deaf ears, as much of the Black community is in pain. Rather than just sit in it Wesley, along with 21 other artists, decided it was necessary to create a piece of work that was cathartic and a light in the darkness.
“I have always been in a position to make this kind of statement in Charlotte,” he said. “I’m really not doing anything new. It is years of relationships coming together to reach a common goal.”
That goal- giving the community something to hold onto, that will remind them of the light that exists in each of us.
Through the years, artists have played significant roles in history. Some are our historians, as they document the very thing in front of them so it may live on forever. Others are our propagandists. In some ways they initiate the pain and the chaos, because they have all the visual elements to everyone’s feelings. Art used as propaganda, becomes a visual aid to make people behave in a specific manner. A behavior that is hopefully maintained for some time.
“Just think, people are willing to die for the confederate flag. So just imagine how we feel having a Black face on the wall. It shouldn’t be revolutionary, but it is. Now, it’s a living memorial,” Wesley shares.
The thing about art is that it’s iconic. People need symbols, and things that don’t die. Art, and the expression of art, becomes something bigger than just the artist. Art in action forces conversations. Conversations that highlight the importance of investing in art education. Conversations that ask city council members to make supporting art programs the norm.
With Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department receiving 40% of the city’s general fund, how do we fight for initiatives that are not only life changing, but coping mechanisms after we witness a heinous murder?
“I hope Charlotte’s City Council can hear these visuals loud and clear,” Wesley stated.
As the city of Charlotte begins to recognize the power of visual art, we can’t ignore the power in digital and graphic media too. When the finished product of the Black Lives Matter mural went viral on social media, it brought a sense of empowerment to Charlotte’s Black community- even while in the midst of a pandemic.
This is our starting point. When people are lost on how to support, bring them here. Feel the power that is in every stroke, every letter.
Wesley made it incredibly clear that this is his form of protest. He left with a final note of encouragement to the young artists of today, “Don’t let your lack of social media clout stop you from sharing your light.”
Because in the end, if you’re sharing your truth, the people will come.
