Photographers on the ground have captured some gripping and historic images during the protests that have swept across the country in recent weeks. One took to the sky in Seattle on Thursday for a drone video that offers a unique look at street art created to celebrate the Black Lives Matter movement.
On East Pine Street in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood — in the heart of what has become the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” in recent days — giant BLACK LIVES MATTER letters were painted in the roadway much the way they were in Washington, D.C., after President Trump closed off a park near the White House.
A masterpiece was created in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone today #BlackLivesMatter #CHAZ pic.twitter.com/augbcA6Cqg
— Kyle Kotajarvi (@kylekotajarvi) June 12, 2020
According to The Seattle Times, mostly Black artists came together on the ground throughout the day Thursday and were responsible for filling in the letters to create colorful and personal murals.
Seattle-based photographer Kyle Kotajarvi went high above the street to show off the scale of their work, which he called a “masterpiece” in a Tweet that went viral. He shared a still image of the project, too.
For everyone asking for a still of the entire mural at the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest. Here it is: pic.twitter.com/f7X0KQQJN7
— Kyle Kotajarvi (@kylekotajarvi) June 12, 2020
Kotajarvi, whose commercial and other work is visible on his website, also posted the video on Instagram, where he said that he was thankful to be able to listen and observe and witness the transformation of the two blocks of pavement.
Kotajarvi listed the Instagram accounts of the artists involved:
B: @kimishaturner
L: @perrypaints
A: @onesevennine
C: @thecurlynugget
K: @thesoufender
L: @drakesignanddesign
I: @stattheartist
V: @aohamer
E: @barryjohnson.co
S: @snekeism
M: @moses_sun and more
A: @artbreakerbt
TT: @tdubcustoms
E: @future_crystals
R: @artvaultseattle Artist: @thekingfroshow
