Banner - Black Lives Matter poster (vandalised)
Object
Poster
Production date
2016
Object number
2017.123
Physical Description
Vinyl canvas (or similar) Black Lives Matter poster. The poster has been vandalised with the word "ALL" is spray-painted in black over the word "BLACK".
Object history
The poster was on display at outside the non-religious Newington Green Unitarian Church (home of New Unity) from November 2016. It was defaced in May 2017 and replaced by a new poster. According to the Hackney Gazette, Rev. Andy Pakula understood it as an act of racism. The response from New Unity is typed-up, laminated and stuck on the back of the poster. The response expresses solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, explaining how it is a necessary movement in the UK because “society and systems do not act as though black lives matter as much as white ones”.
The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2012 in America and has since become an international activist movement. Activists have campaigned against the racism seem in un/employment, education, justice systems, prison, and demonstrated by police custody deaths. The All Lives Matter movement constituted a reaction to Black Lives Matter whereby supporters claim that the Black Lives Matter movement overlooked many other kinds of people. All Lives Matter has been heavily criticised for a failure to understand or engage with the issues raised by Black Lives Matter.
The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2012 in America and has since become an international activist movement. Activists have campaigned against the racism seem in un/employment, education, justice systems, prison, and demonstrated by police custody deaths. The All Lives Matter movement constituted a reaction to Black Lives Matter whereby supporters claim that the Black Lives Matter movement overlooked many other kinds of people. All Lives Matter has been heavily criticised for a failure to understand or engage with the issues raised by Black Lives Matter.
Material
Canvas
Metals
Plastics
Dimension
Height: 776mm
Width: 680mm
Width: 680mm
On display?
No
Inscription
Front:
"BLACK LIVES MATTER"
with
"ALL"
graffitied over "BLACK"
Back:
The laminated A4 sheet stuck to the back of the psoter expresses New Unity's response. New Unity lists statistics demonstrating how black lives are valued less than white ones in society (unemployment, detentions, amounts of savings, representation in prison, depression...). With the final comment "We want a nation where all lives matter. At this time, we still need to work towards acting like it and a big piece of that work is to recognise that #BlackLivesMatter"
"BLACK LIVES MATTER"
with
"ALL"
graffitied over "BLACK"
Back:
The laminated A4 sheet stuck to the back of the psoter expresses New Unity's response. New Unity lists statistics demonstrating how black lives are valued less than white ones in society (unemployment, detentions, amounts of savings, representation in prison, depression...). With the final comment "We want a nation where all lives matter. At this time, we still need to work towards acting like it and a big piece of that work is to recognise that #BlackLivesMatter"