weaponized concrete_ biography

Artist www.michaelwilliams.work -------------------------------------------- Weaponized Concrete 2015 Concrete, steel, silicone, plastic 14 x 175cms x 30cms

Artist www.michaelwilliams.work -------------------------------------------- Weaponized Concrete 2015 Concrete, steel, silicone, plastic 14 x 175cms x 30cms

The title ‘Weaponized Concrete’ was taken from the trial of George Zimmerman for Trayvon Martin’s murder, his lawyer conjoured this term to suggest a pavement scuffle as justifiable cause for the shooting. The piece consists of 14 elements, 13 concrete busts each labelled with a name (listed below) either of an activist or a victim, some from the BlackLivesMatter movement, some from other countries or the past, all unified as racially motivated killings. These concrete shells they erupt with life, golden brains, neon hearts, crystal minds, a statement of hope and broken promise, of internal treasure and unexpected growth. They stand at eyelevel, unavoidable, precious in their destruction, lovingly repaired cared for and put on a pedestal, lives named and reclaimed. The use of the forname on each piece (as listed below) is twofold, one it humanises it feels more personal, two it globalises ‘Mike’ could be any Michael victim or activist, me, as much as Mike Brown. The 14th pole is empty, the original intention was to make a sculpture each time another case hit the news but that became impossible as this year the names mounted up, the 14th pole is maybe the most important, its there to point the finger at the present moment, to ask what can we do to stop there being another statue another death.

Trayvon (Martin)Unarmed African American, 17, killed by George Zimmerman who was acquitted and freed. The title of this piece ‘Weaponized Concrete’ was a term conjoured by Zimmerman’s lawyer in the trial to suggest a pavement scuffle as justifiable cause for the shooting. 2012.

Alicia (Garza) - @aliciagarzaActivist. Created the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement with Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors as a response to the Trayvon Martin murder trial.

Mike (Brown)Unarmed African American, 18, killed in Ferguson, Missouri. Officer acquitted. Brown was shot 7 times, the chant ‘Hands Up Don’t Shoot’ became a rallying cry for protestors. 2014

DeRay (McKesson) - @derayActivist. Left his school administrator position following Mike Brown’s death to work with the Black Lives Matter Movement. Named among Fortune‘s World’s Greatest Leaders List 2015.

Freddie (Gray)Unarmed African-American 25. Arrested for a handling allegation, transported in a police van, by the time he arrived at the station he was dead with a severed spinal cord. 2015

Johnetta (Elzie) - @NettaaaaaaaaActivist, both on Twitter and the streets since Mike Brown’s death. Named among Fortune‘s World’s Greatest Leaders List 2015.

Umi (Orúko) - @DreamdefendersActivist (formerly known as Philip Agnew) Director of community activist organisation Dream Defenders.

Sandra (Bland)Activist. Pulled over for a traffic stop on the way to her new job, the next day she was dead in a police cell. 2015

Eric (Garner)Unarmed African American man. Put in a chokehold by NY police for suspicion of selling loose cigarettes. Said “I can’t breathe” 11 times until he died. Video of killing circulated by media. 2015

Tamir (Rice) Unarmed African American 12-year-old boy playing with a plastic gun in a playground shot by police before the patrol car came to a halt. Video of killing circulated by media. 2015

Emmett (Till)Unarmed African American 14 yr old boy murdered for an allegedly saying “Bye, baby” to a white woman in a grocery store. 1955

Jimmy (Mubenga) Unarmed Angolan man killed during UK deportation. Kept in a chokehold until he died, “grossly offensive and undoubtedly racist” texts from the G4S guards did nothing at trial to stop an acquital of manslaughter. 2010

Bree (Newsome) - @BreeNewsomeActivist. Tore down the confederate flag from South Carolina State House in protest of the murder of 9 African American people by a white supremacist in Charleston. Obama agreed the flag “belongs in a museum”. 2015

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Artist Michael Williams

‘Weaponized Concrete’ 2015

+44 (0) 7754 652537 www.michaelwilliams.work

weaponized concrete_ biography

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