Persona Non Grata
Black Lives Matter
Persona non grata - noun, plural [personae non gratae English per-soh-nee non grah-tee, grey-, grat-ee] Latin
- A person who is not welcome: He has become persona non grata
in our club since his angry outburst.
- In diplomacy, the term persona non grata (Latin, plural: personae non gratae), literally meaning "an unwelcome person," refers to a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular country is prohibited by that country's government.
In the wake of the civil unrest in recent months with regards to police brutality (over the years) towards African American males in the U.S; this piece serves as social commentary to raise awareness on the ongoing issue and the 'Black Lives Matter' initiative. The poster is entitled 'Persona non grata' and the imagery comments on (young) 'black
lives in the US, past and present. The figure has a blindfold of an upside down US flag (S.O.S/ distress symbol), reminiscent of the position assumed by execution victims who would go up against a firing squad.
Title: 'Persona Non Grata' Media:(Archival digital print on Hahnemühle watercolour paper)
Size: 594 x 420mm Year: 2014