Gordon Belray
The Killing of George Floyd
2020
48" x 27”
Digital composite painting
On March 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered during an arrest for a "forgery in process" by former Minnepolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, assisted by Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas K. Lane. Despite Floyd's death pleas of "please I can't breathe", and "they're going to kill me", Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd's neck while two other officers pinned him to the ground.
The composition is made from over 400 stills from Darnella Frazier's cell phone video and from Tou Thao's body cam. The work is geographically situated using street views of Chicaco Ave and E. 38th Street.
The work attempts to historicize George Floyd's death as a narrative for change and protest against racism and police brutallity. Black Lives Matter. The work in indebted to the intrepid 17 year old, Darnella Frazier.
Derek Chavin kneels on George Floyd's neck, while Officer Tuo Thao blocks several people appealing for his life, Donald Williams II verbally confronts officiers in an attempt to save George Floyd's life..
Derek Chavin murders George Floyd while a child watches from across the street and two other witnesses record on the cell phones.
Darnella Frazier, records the scene on her cell phone while her nine year old niece points to the tragedy. A Cup Foods family employee is escorted away from the scene. Seventeen year old Frazier, whose video of the killing was seen world wide triggering large protests across the United States and internationally is recorded recording the event from Tou Thao's body cam, and serves as a mise en abyme for the composition.
By-standers verbally confront Chauvin who readies his hand on a can of pepper spray, Genevieve Hansen, an off-duty firefighter far right.