BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) – As KNWA/FOX24 continues to recognize Black History Month, some artists in northwest Arkansas are using their talents to bring awareness to racial injustice.
“People were being killed every time you look around,” said President of the Northwest Arkansas African American Association, Sharon Killian. “George Floyd-his neck was crushed and we were all seeing it happen.”
Killian said she chose to organize a mural painting on Dickson Street in Fayetteville in June to localize the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement that began after George Floyd’s death.
“I have to say that black lives matter…it’s work, it really is.”
-Sharon Killian
The team of painters working on this mural grew quick. The project began with six local muralists, including Joelle Sortet. Sortet said nearly 50 members of the community quickly volunteered to help paint- no matter their races or walks of life.
Sortet said she chose to participate in the mural painting for many reasons, but especially due to not being able to participate in the Black Lives Matter protests herself.
“I was able to add my personal reaction, solely by participating silently and documenting out loud.”
-Joelle Sortet
The artists are now expanding this artistic movement into other parts of the community. In Bentonville, the team has painted another piece with the theme, “Resistance.”
The painting, lined with red at the bottom, represents all that members of the black community have gone through for decades.
“Red is the representation of the thick blood we have spilt in resisting oppression all these years.”
-Sharon Killian
Killian and Soret said they are hopeful these paintings will have a lasting effect and that positive change across the country can begin right here in northwest Arkansas.
“I’m expecting the piece, from my personal experience, to serve as a start of conversation in the community since there are a lot of grass roots here,” Sortet said.
Killian said this is only the beginning of using art across the region to represent the black community.
“There should be more because we are here, and we’ve been here,” Killian said.
