Protest Blanket
To Use This Document
With Your Students
Date
2020
Description
Cotton, felt, synthetic fibers, dye, paint. In May of 2020, Preservation Long Island launched the initiative “Preserving the Present: Collecting in the Time of Covid-19” to collect art and objects that tell the diverse stories of Long Islanders living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Later that month, the murder of George Floyd sparked protests across the country against violence towards Black Americans and systemic racism. What developed was one of the most significant civil rights movements in United States history. In response, artists Tali Hinkis of LoVid and Annemarie Waugh organized A Wishful Gesture outside Gallery North in Setauket. According to the artists, the installation was a peaceful symbol that allowed people to show support for Black Americans and unity in our nation during a time of social distancing. Community members were invited to “share wishes of love, peace, and hope by placing flowers, plants, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and messages . . .” This blanket was one of the many works contributed, continuing Long Islanders’ rich history of turning artistic expressions into forms of resistance and protest—from the writings of Jupiter Hammon to other pieces left behind at A Wishful Gesture. This item was featured in the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America Exhibition.
Type
Artifact
Region
Long Island, New York State, United States
Era
Contemporary United States
Topic
African Americans, Community
Repository
Identifier
2020.3
Source
Preservation Long Island
Rights
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