Lee Quiñones Highlights George Floyd Murder in Conceptual "Black and Blue" Exhibition

Graffiti pioneer and contemporary artist Lee Quiñones is the focus of a new solo exhibition at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles, California. Entitled “Black and Blue,” the presentation features dynamic works that highlight themes of struggle, justice and resilience. The show’s title takes its name from a centerpiece painting portraying that evokes the horrific murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.

Black and Blue spotlights 569 individually painted iPhone screens that each represent a second of the nine minutes and twenty-nine second video, by Pulitzer-awarded Darnella Frazier, that documented the killing Floyd by Minnesota police. “The painting sets the tone for the rest of the show which features paintings and drawings dealing with historical social justice fault lines, from the desegregation of Little Rock Central High in Little Rock, AR to the ongoing displacement of Native Americans,” said the gallery in a statement.

Accompanying the political charged works are “bombed” canvas paintings that reflect Quiñones’ prolific graffiti background. The works are expressive and feature street-induced motifs that were all executed in a paint booth at Lee’s studio in New York City. The show also includes a large-scale collaborative work between Quiñones and fellow artist William Cordova titled Physical Graffiti that pays homage to the cover image of the iconic Led Zeppelin album from 1975.

Check out installation views for “Black and Blue” above and then head to Charlie James Gallery’s website for more information. The exhibition is on view through July 24.

Elsewhere in art, Centre Pompidou announced plans to open its first American exhibition space in New Jersey.

Charlie James Gallery
969 Chung King Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90012