Flower Memorial Pee Chee

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A painting depicting the scene of the violent arrest of flower vendor Joaquina Valencia in the center, with vignette portrafits of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards and Justine Ruszczyk. In separate incidences, police officers shot and killed both Edwards and Ruszczyk in 2017. Against an orange background, the center scene depicts an armed and uniformed officer violently kneeling on Valencia as she lays on the sidewalk amid scattered rose flower petals. There is blue pen ink on top of the flower petals. At top left, a smiling Edwards is depicted from the shoulders up with a garland of pink and red roses around his neck. Just below him is a red circle with lettering reading [Pee Chee / ALL SEASON /PORT-]. At bottom right is a smiling Ruszczyk encircled by a garland of red and pink roses. Both flower garlands are composed of rose stickers adhered to the painting.

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