The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is a day many prefer not to recall, as the memories are frequently painful and traumatic. Yet, it is through remembering that the drive for change can emerge. Mama's Against Violence, a local organization, is dedicated to fostering this change. For their 2021 event, they aimed to make these memories tangible. This led city officials to contact abstract artist Kamika Perry to create a piece that would resonate with those impacted by gun violence.
Kamika Perry, newly emerged as a public artist, initially doubted her suitability for the role. "As an abstract artist, I employ shapes, color, and texture to symbolize various concepts. However, this was my first experience representing something beyond myself," Mrs. Perry explains.
Despite the challenge, Kamika embarked on a journey to craft something that embodied both her artistic touch and the message.
Kamika explains that the shapes in the center of the canvas act as the focal point, which is why all the other shapes are connected to them. This symbolizes the concept that experiencing events like gun violence is never an isolated occurrence—it impacts more than just one individual. Initially, the reds might be linked to "violence," but in color psychology, red is actually a color symbolizing the most intense emotions, which we recognize as LOVE.
While National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims originated from sorrow, the most powerful emotion Kamika observed at the event that day was, in fact, LOVE.
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