'Prospect.3 artist Joe Ray's work echoes recent Ferguson and New York incidents'
Artist Joe Ray, 70, was born in Alexandria, La., but spent most of his life in Los Angeles. He painted the suite of symbolic canvases in New Orleans' international art festival, Prospect.3, 21 years ago when newspaper headlines were eerily similar to those today. As the Contemporary Arts Center website explains:
"The works featured in Prospect.3 were compled in 1993, just a year after the riots that were sparked by the acquittal of four Los Angeles Police Department offiers of (charges of) assault and excessive force against Rodney King. The paintings probe issues of identity and racial justice."
To express the cultural collision of 1992, Ray combined signs of African identity such as kente fabric and an antelope mask with symbols of oppresions such a whip painted white and a cross -- painted fire red. Atop everything are splatter of black paint that imply anger, grief and violence and fragile flowers that imply hope..."
