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"They don't know who we Be"
Artist Statement | Danielle Scott
The series was inspired by the late Rapper DMX and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was dropping off my oldest son at Syracuse last August and remembered feeling very uncomfortable seeing all the Trump flags in the surrounding area of his school "Le Moyne". On October 4th, 2020 at 3 am my son called crying. He asked me to pick him up from school permanently. Jacob had woke from his sleep to his caucasian roommate holding a knife threatening to kill him because of the color of his skin. The dorm mate said to him, "You know if Trump loses what is going to happen to you, You know if Trump wins what is going to happen to you N*gger?" I drove to Syracuse and removed my son from the dorm because of his fear and mine. I listened to DMX during my five-hour travel to Syracuse and the song "Who We Be" resonated with me strongly and inspired my series. I also heard the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
My son is 19 years old, speaks 3 different languages fluently, his major is aerospace engineering, he is an honor's student, class president, is on the step team and plays 4 different instruments. He is a brother, a son, a nephew, a godson, a grandson, a human, a scholar, a college student, a musician, and most importantly MY SON. He's not just a walking target. He's not just an empty shell, He's not just his skin color. He has a heart, spirit, and soul. Blood rules
throughout his body and he was created inside of me. I gave birth to the most beautiful masterpiece, I fell in love for the first time at the sight of his golden-brown skin and if his life was taken because of white supremacy I would die.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Starting with my eldest the series "They don't know who we Be" grew. The series is inclusive of all the males in my family from my mother's side to my father's. From the oldest to the youngest, Each male is photographed in the same manner as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. mugshot . He was arrested nearly 29 times for his civil rights work. The mug shot signs that my family members are holding depict the contents of my family's character."
Art Fair 14C is a visual arts initiative of Art House Productions, a multi-disciplinary 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit in Jersey City.
Art Fair 14C is pleased to offer a 6-month residency at Art 150 to an artist with a disability – the 2021 artist is Danielle Scott.
Art Fair 14C recognizes that disabilities can come in many forms and are not always physical and not always visible. They can include people with mental illness, chronic diseases, chronic pain, autism and learning disabilities.