I.C.Y.M.I.: The Artists Behind Seattle's Black Lives Matter Mural in Capitol Hill
Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, happy Juneteenth and welcome to week 19 of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series. Our museum may be temporarily closed to visitors based on guidance from public health officials to slow the spread of coronavirus, but we're still here to recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week(s) in popular culture, in case you missed them.
Last week, we called attention to a Rolling Stones piece highlighting the powerful Black Lives Matter messages being displayed on the signs of protesters. This week we're starting local, spotlighting a beautiful Black Lives Matter mural (and the artists behind it) that has taken shape in our city.
Local Artists Paint Black Lives Matter Mural in Cap Hill
On East Pine Street in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, the phrase Black Lives Matter has been painted in the middle of the entire city block. Each of the 16 massive letters features vibrant colors and eye-popping imagery, with a different local artist responsible for creating the custom designs. According to the Seattle Times, mostly Black artists came together to produce the piece, which took its final form late last week.
Here's a look at all the Instagram accounts of the mural's artists:
B: @kimishaturner
L: @perrypaints
A: @onesevennine
C: @thecurlynugget
K: @thesoufender
L: @drakesignanddesign
I: @stattheartist
V: @aohamer
E: @barryjohnson.co
S: @snekeism
M: @moses_sun and more
A: @artbreakerbt
TT: @tdubcustoms
E: @future_crystals
R: @artvaultseattle Artist: @thekingfroshow
The aerial video embedded above was shot by Kyle Kotajarvi, a Seattle-based outdoor filmmaker and photographer.
Da 5 Bloods Debuts on Netflix
If you're looking for a movie to watch this weekend, check out Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods on Netflix. The film follows four African American Vietnam veterans who return to Vietnam years later to search for the remains of their fallen friend (plus the promise of buried treasure). Rolling Stone calls it "made for our current moment," noting it's the first major film to offer a look at Vietnam through the lens of black soldiers.
Madden Unleashes Newest Gameplay Trailer
For sports game fans, EA Sports shared its first gameplay trailer for Madden 21 this past week. Set for an August 28 release date, the game's publishers are hyping a couple new aspects for the series' latest installment, including "improved ball-carrier mechanics" on offense and making "the pass rush positions more responsive, and fun to play" on defense. EA Sports says the most notable differences from older titles "will arrive in the overall authenticity and presentation with new on field camera shots and improved player awareness of their positioning and surroundings on the field."
As far as the age-old question of which athlete will appear on the game's cover, that honor belongs to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
What Else To Watch, Read, Listen To or Catch Up On This Weekend
- Here at MoPOP, our POP+ Pride virtual programming is going strong with the launch of our next slate of book club events celebrating N.K. Jemisin's How Long 'til Black Future Month? We also outlined a handful of queer BIPOC people, songs, and TV shows you need to know.
- On Thursday, we threw it back to this oral history live from 2010 with Graham Nash speaking to Buddy Holly's influence, and oh yeah, playing one of Holly's famous guitars!
- We mentioned this last week, but registration is open for many of our summer camps, several of which have moved entirely online.
- And we hope you'll join us for a special edition of It's Coming From Inside the House!, as we honor Juneteenth and the work of black horror creators by inviting Isabella Price from Nocturnal Emissions to take over our horror watchalong. Friday's film is Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, which you can register for right here.
What'd We Miss?
Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on social media. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of I.C.Y.M.I.
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