Artist Everton Tsosie’s paintings employ an abstractive style, palettes inspired by the New Mexico landscape, and allude to the pulses of urban environments while centering Indigeneity.
“In the painting titled Final Exhale, I envisioned a strong expression of George Floyd as a man of feelings and courage. I think that is important because of the brutality he faced by officer Derek Chauvin. I wanted his hands to be raised high because of the different meanings inferred when we see someone with their hands up. As Floyd left with a final exhale, he is then revived as an Eagle with wings and his courageous spirit lives on. I think that the attention to the last breath or final exhale created a strong connection to humans everywhere. Floyd will be remembered as the optimist within, by wanting ‘to touch the world.’ On the canvas, I portray him as a strong spirit and embrace the Eagle protector that is rich in culture. In the form of a spirit, he revisits the scene where it all happened and the consequences; Derek Chauvin: guilty; $27 million paid to his family; the fake twenty-dollar bill; and the green bicycle. Justice prevailed and police brutality has gone viral. We all are fighting for equal breath in America. Black lives matter.”
Everton Tsosie is an abstract contemporary artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He recently received his BFA from the University of New Mexico.
Albuquerque, NM | evertontsosie.com
