Forgive Us 2020

Curator: Jammie Holmes created this compelling painting titled, "Forgive Us" in 2020. Editor: There's something incredibly raw and somber about this piece; the subdued palette only amplifies the overall mood. It almost feels like witnessing a private moment of grief, but amplified, made monumental. Curator: It's important to understand Holmes’s commitment to portraying Black life and challenging the socio-political structures that impact his community. The figures depicted evoke a spiritual dimension but simultaneously confront systemic inequalities. The "Holy Water" scrawled at the bottom, and the image of a deceased young man printed on a tee worn by the boy stand out. The raised hand signifies an oath and alludes to both witness testimony and a call for justice. Editor: The artist’s handling of oil paint also creates an intriguing tension between the representational and the abstract, what strikes you is how the layering of color shapes the mood and informs the subject in this powerful composition. You almost miss the writing until you start really studying the forms. The use of symbols also directs how we view the art and, perhaps, is another dimension by which Holmes connects the viewer to its narrative and message. Curator: Exactly! It’s crucial to remember the tradition of bearing witness, prevalent within Black communities, and the painting clearly echoes that act. By intertwining individual narratives of loss with collective societal failures, the artist demands accountability, prompting a broader conversation on value, visibility, and, fundamentally, humanity. Editor: I think it goes to show how close formal strategies are to conveying deeply profound emotions. To witness the narrative coalesce through layered texture and subtle symbolic intervention is impressive and proves why this work is such a crucial contemporary voice. Curator: For me, this underscores how art possesses the transformative potential to catalyze societal introspection, questioning norms, and advocating for social justice through the act of seeing and, hopefully, understanding. Editor: It's certainly a work that resonates far beyond its surface, provoking questions long after one turns away.