Gun violence has gripped America since the beginning of its inception and has rarely let up in recent years. With the introduction of vetting laws and stricter gun control in some states, America has seen some decrease in gun violence, however the levels remain high compared to the rest of the Western world. Lower socioeconomic communities are typically hit harder by gun violence, with poverty perpetuating a cycle of violence amongst ethnic minorities, and these communities suffer the most as a result.
Towson based artist Will Brown has sought to memorialize these victims of gun violence through art, namely through the painting of murals on walls representing the individual in a creative way.
Being hand painted, the murals are tedious and take time to create, however the results are absolutely stunning. With street fashion and culture at an all time high, these murals blend in perfectly with the environments they are painted in and create an homage to the victims themselves, whilst outlining the increasing number of victims to gun violence.
His artwork has not gone unnoticed, with many organizations taking notice and commissioning him to paint murals for them. One such organization is the American Cancer Society who has commissioned murals from Will Brown for survivors and victims of Cancer including celebrities such as Chadwick Boseman, the star of the critically acclaimed Black Panther movie. His artwork has helped to raise funds for charitable organizations after many have had their funding cut.
With such a positive person painting these murals and outlining social issues, the community has taken notice.
Will Brown aims to help spread his art and message through the country to help bring awareness to various social issues which have ravaged the population for some time now.
You can follow up with Will Brown at ThePortraitOfLife.com or connect via IG @artistwillbrown
