The covers of TIME magazine have often cut right to the quick of pressing issues through simple, powerful imagery that addresses both the big picture and the nuances of any given situation.
The cover for its August 31-September 7 issue, however, was especially emotive. Headlined “The New American Revolution,” a searing image of the United States flag integrates itself into the negative space, even as it holds that space to facilitate discussion about creating a future for Black Americans that will live up to the promises of fairness and equity laid out in the country’s Constitution.
The artist responsible for that image is 23-year-old Trinidadian Nneka Jones, whose stunning painting of George Floyd, which she shared on Instagram, captured the attention of TIME’s art director Victor Williams. The rest, as they say, is history:
Jones left Trinidad and Tobago for the US to get her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree; she graduated from the University of Tampa in May, the same month that Floyd was killed and the Black Lives Matter movement exploded not just in America, but around the world. It was a convergence of events that solidified her work as an “activist-artist.”
Jones chose to work in the embroidery medium on canvas. As Victor Williams explained:
Every time she pushes the needle through the canvas, it’s an act of intention that mirrors the marching, the protests, the push to form a more perfect union. It’s deliberate. It’s painstaking. It’s long. It’s hard. Each one of those stitches is a single person’s story, a single person’s travails. That’s why we wanted to make the stitches visible.
Even the process of making the art — Jones’ fingers were cut and sore from working so quickly on it — was an act of solidarity with those who bleed from daily injustices that come with being Black in America.
Via email, I connected with Jones and chatted with her about her art. In this, the first of a two-part interview, she shares her vision for how art and activism can change the world.
Janine Mendes-Franco (JMF): Congratulations on your TIME magazine cover. Embroidery on canvas is such a unique medium. How did you gravitate toward it?
Nneka Jones (NJ): Thank you! My discovery of embroidery came about through an experimental painting class at the University of Tampa. The class invited the students to create a painting without using paint as the main material on the canvas. It therefore forced my classmates and I to reflect on every day and non-traditional materials that could be used. Once I had decided that I would use thread, after seeing many other embroidery artists, I was able to complete my first hand embroidered self-portrait.
JMF: It’s clearly a precise and painstaking process. What went into that TIME cover, from concept to completion?
NJ: Victor Williams reached out to me […] He was automatically drawn to my hand-embroidered work and offered for me to produce cover art for the […] issue curated by Pharrell Williams. We had decided that using the American flag would be the perfect symbolism as it is a reflection of everything happening in the nation currently.
After having only 24 hours to complete the hand-embroidered work, I was able to stencil out the flag and have the agreed upon image completed by the deadline. The incomplete ‘finish’ contributed toward the meaning of the piece, as it is symbolic of the work in progress toward a more inclusive future.
JMF: Activism is deeply entwined in your art. What has the experience of coming from multi-ethnic Trinidad and Tobago to a racially divided US been like, and what perspective has your art brought to the issues that need to be addressed?
NJ: Racism is something that exists on a global scale and every country has issues relating to some social injustices. These issues were not foreign to me before leaving Trinidad but of course, coming to a nation that is more largely populated and even more of a melting pot, they seemed to be more obvious.
As an activist-artist, I use my artwork as a tool to bring awareness to these injustices and evoke change within society. It is harder for us as humans to have these conversations without having a prompt or ‘push.’ The artwork then, is almost like a stepping stone, forcing viewers to look within themselves — but also amongst themselves — and have these conversations.
JMF: Your portrait of George Floyd was tender and commanding at the same time. How did you feel working on that piece, what message did you want to send, and why was its photorealism important to you?
NJ: The painting of George Floyd was all very in the moment. It contradicted all my other pieces as I usually take time to plan out the content and composition of my pieces and also spend a while completing it. However, this painting was different; I wanted to capture the essence of Floyd right then and there and bring some kind of peace to the chaos that was happening in America at that time. This meant that I had to do my best to capture him as his daughter, family and friends saw him before his passing.
JMF: When the BLM protests spread worldwide many Caribbean social media users were criticised for jumping on the US bandwagon — but the reality is that every society has its own brand of racism to deal with. What role does your art play in these movements and resulting conversations?
NJ: Not many of us realize that although we come from different backgrounds, ethnicities, countries and social groups, a lot of the issues that we face are very similar and are related to overarching issues of racism, inequality and discrimination.
This is something that we can all relate to in some way and if my work is to be seen on a global scale, people would be able to identify the specific issue I am highlighting without even speaking the same language I speak. Art in itself offers a universal language and that allows me to create work that speaks out against the injustices and calls for change in all parts of the world, not just Trinidad and not just America.
JMF: It’s so fitting that an image created by a “foreigner” is the symbol for TIME magazine’s exploration of America’s current reality: fierce nationalism in a country built by immigrants, unresolved issues around race, exploding gun violence, vast inequity. What did your reassembly of the US flag strive to accomplish?
NJ: This hand-embroidered flag was created with the intention of signifying optimism and hopes that we can all work together to build a brighter future. This nation has a great impact on many other countries around the world, and so it is important that we understand the importance of equality. Currently, Black people and people of color are calling for the opportunity to excel in higher level positions and with the push to elevate the Black entrepreneurs, visionaries and creatives like myself, it allows for inclusivity and can hopefully bring about a better America and better world.
JMF: How difficult was the ombré effect to achieve and what was the significance of blending the colours in that way?
NJ: Given that I was limited to 24-hours to complete this piece, it was definitely a challenge to ensure that the ombré effect was up to my standard of work. It was also important as this effect was particularly symbolic of a more hopeful future and the shift and transition to allowing black people and people of color a voice, a space, and a chance at achieving greatness.
JMF: You’ve been living outside of Trinidad for some time now, yet the visual language of T&T is strong — almost defiantly so — in your work. Tell me about the impact of those beginnings and that identity on your art. It’s like you’ve turned Granny’s familiar, comforting embroidery on its head and repurposed it for the frontlines of battle.
NJ: While living in Trinidad, I was always influenced by the flamboyant colors and vibrant culture that we have, and had always incorporated this in my work as it was a reflection of the Trinbagonian spirit. However, as I have grown into my artistic skin, I am able to use these same colors to draw attention, as well as communicate symbolic meaning in my pieces. The colors that I use now are very intentional especially as seen in my most recent series, ‘Targets Variegated,’ where I use the colors of a traffic light to tell a story of Black women and children reclaiming their rights.
JMF: That ‘Target’ series is one of your most startling pieces of work. It’s aimed at raising awareness about sexual abuse and human trafficking. The use of condoms around the images of these girls and women is disturbingly provocative. Tell me about the ways in which you use your art to engage in discussion and effect change.
NJ: [The] series is a call to everyone to look closer and pay attention to what is currently happening in society. It highlights the statistics where [most] sex trafficking victims are young, beautiful, innocent girls of color. Hence, the series features hundreds of condoms on each canvas, layered in a ‘target’ pattern, drawing the viewer’s eyes to the eyes of the victim. It is a very striking image, one that forces you to realize the harsh reality and help speak out against it so that this ends, and other young girls and women are not targeted.
JMF: Do you have a particular piece that’s close to your heart?
NJ: Right now, I do not have a favorite piece; however, the piece that has been a huge milestone so far in my art career would be the TIME magazine cover. Not only did I get to produce hand embroidered artwork, but I was also able to create as an activist artist in under 24 hours and it is a piece that has changed my life.
JMF: Who has inspired you as an artist?
NJ: My high school art teachers and professors continue to be huge inspirations and influencers in my life. A lot of people make fun of art teachers or joke that most art majors don’t ever really become an ‘artist.’ However, my art teachers have brought me to where I am today; without their guidance and support, it would take me a much longer time to realize my potential and act on it, and I am truly grateful to have had them for my foundation.
JMF: How has the internet and social media helped you?
NJ: In 2017, I decided to start my art blog on Instagram and named it @artyouhungry. People often found it difficult to pronounce my name and so I wanted something that was easy to pronounce, remember and fun! I did not know where this blog journey would lead, but I am so happy that I stuck to it as I am able to share the process of my work with hundreds of people, and also get feedback when needed. This has allowed me to make connections with other artists and even galleries, and I look forward to developing my brand on social media as I elevate in my art career.
JMF: You’re still so young and have your whole career ahead of you, with all its inherent dynamism and change — but right now, in this weighty moment, if your art could accomplish one thing, what would you want that to be?
NJ: I would hope that my art could cause someone to reflect within themselves — almost like a mirror to society — and truly ask how they are contributing to what is currently taking place, and what they can do better to improve the world we live in.