Letter V in Black Lives Matter
by Abena Motaboli
“The letter V is intended to be hopeful, optimistic, and full, with a quiet strength. The letter shows two black figures: a male and a female. Behind them are the colors of the Pan Africa flag symbolizing collective unity between Africans and African-Americans. There is a waterfall behind these figures symbolizing peace and power in the elements.
Below the two figures there is a tree symbolizing the history of black lives and the idea that we need to set roots deeply in order to grow over time. The top left has a flock of birds symbolizing the idea of flocking together, with a hand below symbolizing collective strength. The hand holds the vine of life which blooms into a beautiful sunflower. Each leaf in the vine has an Adinkra symbol which have different meanings. Adinkra symbols originate from Ghana, where my mother is from. I chose symbols that felt aligned with the BLM movement such as bravery, endurance, time, change, freedom, unity, wisdom, hope, reconciliation, love, strength, and abundance” A. Motaboli
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Abena Motaboli is a Chicago-based educator, visual artist, and writer. Her art practice is performative, contemplative, and transformative. Known for her intricate plastic installations and meditative line-work in her paintings, she is influenced by her home country of Lesotho and Southern African culture. She uses ephemeral material such as plastic, tea, dirt, and coffee to comment on displacement, past memories, and the culture of creating. Growing up in international communities and being an immigrant, she is strongly influenced by the diversity of people, memories, displacement, the ‘other’, and ideas of human resilience seen through immigration. With the need to find quiet spaces amidst times of uncertainty, she invites the audience to find a space to contemplate through installation, abstract work, or through vivid, bright colors in mural work.
To learn more follow @abenaart
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