Illuminating BLM and Centering Black Joy

Let There Be Light 2021
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, VA
Curated by Fenella Belle, Associate Professor and James Yates.

Solar-powered lilies, solar panel, battery, plastic, stainless steel stakes

This installation uses 130 multi-colored, solar powered garden lights to spell BLM (the acronym for Black Lives Matter). Solar powered garden lights come in many forms. Jackson chose flowers, specifically lilies to address a poignant element of BLM’s mission statement: “centering Black joy,” as opposed to focusing on Black pain and exhaustion. Flowers bring joy, and lilies symbolize positive sentiments such as beauty, rebirth, and transformation. These ideals apply to BLM and are interpreted in this artwork by the glowing floral lights.

Additionally, the artwork realistically and metaphorically represents Jackson’s personal meaning of illuminating darkness. By absorbing solar energy during the day and disseminating light at night, these lanterns literally illuminate darkness. Simultaneously, BLM’s efforts to elucidate the historic, continued, and systemic violence against Black bodies globally portrays the meaning metaphorically.