Friday, February 25, 2011

POST: Emory Douglas / Juxtapoz / Number 22 / March 2011

Emory Douglas, Warning to America, The Black Panther Newspaper, June 27, 1970
"When you speak the truth you become a threat to the system."
Emory Douglas Interview and Portrait by Shaun Roberts

From Juxtapoz editor M. Rivelli:
"Emory Douglas [is] perhaps one [of] the most important political graphic and fine artists in the world over the last 50 years. Grounded in deep philosophical and revolutionary roots, Emory -- the Minister of Culture and visual artist for the Black Panther Party -- wasn't making posters and images of pastel guns as eye-candy for a skateboard deck or t-shirt graphic for a  certain consumer to flaunt; he was creating the identity of a revolution. Power. Struggle. Organization. Rights. Politics. Social Services. Community Activism. Police Brutality. Emergence. Proud. Those were the meanings behind the guns in an Emory Douglas graphic. Never was there a time that he would create a piece of art with a gun for the sake of commerce. These were moments of empowerment that the West Coast especially had never seen before.
In our eyes, Emory Douglas is one of the most important artists we have ever had gracing our cover. Interviewed in Oakland, California in December 2010, Emory relates us a summary of the beginnings and heights of the Black Panther Party, as well as his opinion on various current events that have defined our nation over the past several years." 
See more images by Emory Douglas at: http://www.moca.org/emorydouglas/

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