Public murals went up around Springfield, Mass., last year as a form of community building. This week, amid widespread protests of police brutality and racism, a group of cultural institutions including Art for the Soul Gallery and Common Wealth Murals is ing a new mural in Springfield.
Artist Wane One is leading the painting of “Say Their Names” on a wall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services in the city’s Mason Square neighborhood.
The mural has the names of more than 70 people of color who, in the past 12 months, were unarmed and died at the hands of police, according to mural orgnaizers who used data from Mapping Police Violence.
“George Floyd is at the heart in the middle, top right,” Wane One said. “All the names and hearts are a sign of ‘we miss you, we love you, we won’t forget you,’ so people won’t lose sight of the tragedies that are happening, the police brutality.”
One, who is based in New York City and Holyoke, said as an artist he doesn't have all the answers to what's going on in the U.S. right now.
“But I felt we could get out here," he said, "and do something beautiful with the community.”
