“Two of the strongest people I know. Reflecting on their personal struggle through their stories and memories that have shared with me throughout life. This painting is the epitome of Detroit history and Culture. Society has tried to erase “us” so many times and continue to try to rewrite our black history and take away our respect as people. They stand next to each other wearing their Sunday's best and prepared for battle. My grandma staring at the viewer is almost intimidating and makes you question your own thoughts. Nothing gets past grandma. Several references to the 60’s which was the setting of the painting. The time when it was the height of the civil rights movement… black people still were fighting for the right to vote, the right for social equalities. One particular quote resonated with me when creating this portrait . “One bullet cannot kill a movement” by Jesse Jackson when referring to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. That quote is what this piece is about. The Movement. Keep standing together to empower each other and keep fighting back and be prepared. My work as a way to start that conversation. Keep telling those stories and not to forget about history and what is happening in our communities. The location of this piece being the neighborhood in which my family had lived for 50 years. Today it no longer exists. To incorporate all of the complexities of the time as well as the personal story to portray the emotion of these women accurately. To document these women of Detroit.
I wanted to take on a more intimate look at the painting experience ---extending it to incorporate all the senses( sight, sound, taste and smell). Pulling from what I recall growing up cooking in the kitchen with my grandmother and sort of her infused style of Detroit style southern cooking. She would love trying new things and making people try it with her. She likes lots of different dishes and just the idea of a proper dinner and eating at the table. I love the idea of a creative interpretation of my work and transforming it into another medium (cooking) and just like my artwork, creating a new genre.”
-Desiree Kelly
