• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Greater Boston's Alternative News Source

BLM TAG INSPIRES ARTIST’S SOMERVILLE MURAL

Written by GREG COOK Posted August 20, 2020 Filed Under: A+E, Visual Arts

Photo by Greg Cook

In June, Jason “Swat” Talbot was invited to paint a mural on Posto, the pizza place outside Somerville’s Davis Square. Amidst the Black Lives Matter protests, someone had tagged “BLM” on the wall, Talbot says, “really sloppily.”

Rather than just paint it over or sandblast it, which would be required by the city, [the owner] called me up to paint a mural on it,” the Cambridge artist says. The owner aimed to support the cause, but a bit more beautifully. “Being a Black gentleman myself, I support the movement, I wouldn’t paint a Band-Aid over it. I wanted to amplify the theme.”

Talbot is co-founder of Artists for Humanity, the Boston art/design studio for teens. You might be familiar with the angel wings he painted on Cambridge’s Palmer Street.

On Posto, he painted a girl inspired by his 5-year-old daughter holding a “Black Lives Matter” sign. “I’m angry, but I don’t want to let these angry times linger,” Talbot says. “When things get better I still want it to be a beautiful symbol of positivity.”

“I’m 6’ 2” and I’ve been profiled by the police,” Talbot says. “I always really tried my best to stay out of trouble in that area. But I’ve had to deal with police brutality and bias and prejudice. I wanted to make a personal mural. … One of the main reasons my life matters is to raise my [two] children. … I don’t want to worry for my life. I’m a George Floyd-sized guy. It hits home for me.”

GREG COOK
Website | + posts

Greg Cook runs the Wonderland blog (https://gregcookland.com/wonderland/) and is scheduled to begin painting a mural in Salem's Punto Urban Art Museum in October (http://puntourbanartmuseum.org).

    This author does not have any more posts.

Filed Under: A+E, Visual Arts Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, davis square, Jason “Swat” Talbot, mural, visual arts

WHAT’S NEW

Mass Higher Ed Advocates Urge More Investment In Students 

Mass Higher Ed Advocates Urge More Investment In Students 

Guest Opinion: Promoting Metal Detectors In BPS Perpetuates Dangerous Narrative

Guest Opinion: Promoting Metal Detectors In BPS Perpetuates Dangerous Narrative

State Wire: Mass Leads Nation In 'Green' Building Development

State Wire: Mass Leads Nation In ‘Green’ Building Development

State Wire: Mass Advocates Of Higher Ed Set Goals For Fair Share Revenue

State Wire: Mass Advocates Of Higher Ed Set Goals For Fair Share Revenue

Does Massachusetts Underestimate Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Does Massachusetts Underestimate Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

State Wire: The Legacy Of MLK’s Dream Of Economic Justice In Mass

State Wire: The Legacy Of MLK’s Dream Of Economic Justice In Mass

Primary Sidebar

LOCAL EVENTS

AAN Wire


Most Popular

  • 20 Great Tracks To Come Out Of Greater Boston In 2022
  • Think Massachusetts Cannabis Prices Are Low Now? Just Wait Six Months!
  • Why Are Cannabis Prices Really Crashing?
  • A New Beginning For Formerly Incarcerated Women
  • Jerrod Carmichael Has First Show After Coming Out—At the Wilbur In Boston

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Customer Service

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an email blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: sales@digboston.com To reach editorial (and for inquiries about internship opportunities): editorial@digboston.com