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Palm Sunday Was a Protest | Nicolette Faison
12″x14″ Acrylic, marker, paper on canvas
COMMENTARY
Palm Sunday Was a Protest is a sister piece to LL Cool J in that the inspiration was also stained glass. Unlike LL Cool J, Palm Sunday Was a Protest contains a bit more detail emphasizing the hectic energy that is found in movements. Each segment is meant to capture the eye but the central subjects are in black and white, contrasting the brilliant color palette.
The order of colors is intentionally a rainbow as a nod to the Queer community. The piece contains a sunrise behind the iconic Palm Sunday donkey, which is an ode to the Sunrise Movement.24 Accompanying the donkey are crowds of people with fists raised in the air, a common sight at any protest. The phrase, “No Justice, No Peace” sits around a “power to the people fist” symbolizing resistance. This symbol was first utilized by labor and liberation movements in the early 1900s. I personally associate the fist with the Black Power movement of the 1960s. Along the bottom of the piece, the grassroots of the image, are palms, a nod to the biblical story.
Palm Sunday Was a Protest is an ode to modern movements. This piece visually aligns how Palm Sunday is talked about with the active work happening today.
Written by Rev. Nicolette Faison
LOOK
As you scan the image, notice the contrast between vibrant colors and black and white. What does this contrast convey to you?
24 The Sunrise Movement received increased attention at the end of the 2010s into the 2020s as a movement for young people committed to stopping climate change. sunrisemovement.org