Projection art reflects on summer of BLM protests, honors Marcus-David Peters
Iman Mekonen, Spectrum Editor An 11-foot-tall vinyl display with muted pastel colors displays a familiar scene of Marcus-David Peters Circle. The grassy area around the base of Robert E. Lee’s statue is filled with references to recent Black Lives Matter protests in Richmond: clouds of tear gas, a burning police car and a basketball hoop. […]
VCU theatre club provides artistic safe space for Black students
Iman Mekonen, Spectrum Editor Kofi Mframa, Contributing Writer “Blue Light Past, on Thy Brother’s Path” tells the tragic, yet common story of police brutality against a young, Black man. The play was one of three shown during a competition held by the Black Theatre Association at VCU, an organization for Black students entering the theatre […]
Local ballerinas transform dance into advocacy
Annie Phan, Contributing Writer Four ballerinas who garnered viral attention this summer after dancing under Richmond’s iconic statue of Robert E. Lee are tapping international recognition to raise funds for their non-profit organization, Brown Ballerinas for Change. “We wanted this to be not just a moment but a movement, and to be able to give […]
BLM mural makes statement in arts building
Sanjana Ravulapalli, Contributing Writer As students enter VCU’s Fine Arts Building, large black letters on the floor lined with the Pan-African colors of green, red and yellow spell “Black Lives Matter.” The students and artists behind the project say it’s a good first step in holding VCUarts accountable for its statements in support of diversity […]
‘The Surrender of Lee’ portrays the power of Lee monument
Rebecca Elrod, Contributing Writer A VCU graduate’s painting of the graffitied statue of Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue is giving new meaning to an old, towering symbol of oppression. Painted by S. Ross Browne, “The Surrender Of Lee (Reverse Mandala)” lends a bird’s-eye view of the Confederate memorial surrounded by spray-painted messages and signs […]