Weekly Lenten Art March 29 | lafayette-christian

Palm Sunday Was a Protest
by Nicolette Faison
Inspired by Mark 11:1-11
12”x24” Acrylic, marker, paper collage on canvas

Artist's Statement

Palm Sunday Was a Protest is a sister piece to LL Cool J in that the inspiration was also stained glass. Unlike LL Cool J, Palm Sunday Was a Protest contains a bit more detail emphasizing the hectic energy that is found in movements. Each segment is meant to capture the eye but the central subjects are in black and white, contrasting the
brilliant color palette.

The order of colors is intentionally a rainbow as a nod to the Queer community. The piece contains a sunrise behind the iconic Palm Sunday donkey, which is an ode to the Sunrise Movement. Accompanying the donkey are crowds of people with fists raised in the air, a common sight at any protest. The phrase, “No Justice, No Peace” sits
around a “power to the people fist” symbolizing resistance. This symbol was first utilized by labor and liberation movements in the early 1900s. I personally associate the fist with the Black Power movement of the 1960s. Along the bottom of the piece, the grassroots of the image, are palms, a nod to the biblical story.

Palm Sunday Was a Protest is an ode to modern movements. This piece visually aligns how Palm Sunday is talked about with the active work happening today. Resist fascism. Resist occupation. Do justice.

—Rev. Nicolette Faison