They’re Going to Kill Me (New York City) 2020

This photograph shows the New York City skyline with a banner flown by Jammie Holmes. That phrase hanging in the sky, "They’re Going to Kill Me," is stark against the serene blue. I can imagine Holmes conceptualizing this, maybe feeling the weight of that statement in his own life, and wanting to put it out there, suspended between the buildings and the clouds. It's a gesture, a way of communicating a complex feeling with a few simple words, written across the sky. It reminds me of Jenny Holzer’s text-based installations. Holmes is using language to make visible something that’s often invisible. It’s a bold act, to take a personal fear and make it public, inviting strangers to witness and perhaps recognize the urgency of those words. I admire the way artists can bring attention to difficult realities, sparking conversation and reflection.