Halim Flowers is an American artist and writer. He began painting after serving over twenty years in prison for a felony murder he was convicted of as a teenager. He was released from prison pursuant to the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act, which offered clemency for juvenile offenders given life sentences, and now publishes and displays his artwork around the world.
Halim Flowers | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1, 1980 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Known for | Visual art |
| Movement | Street art, optical improvisation |
_(Blue)_by_Halim_Flowers.jpg)
Biography
editFlowers was born in Washington, D.C., on September 1, 1980, and grew up in the midst of the crack epidemic.[1] At the age of 16, Flowers was charged with felony murder when an accomplice killed a man during a home invasion. He was sentenced to two life terms.[2] During his incarceration, Flowers was featured in the Emmy-award-winning documentary America Undercover: Thug Life in DC.[2][3]
After serving over twenty years, Flowers was released from prison pursuant to statutory reforms aimed at offenders who received life sentences for crimes committed as juveniles. Shortly after his release, he received fellowship awards from Halcyon Arts Lab[4] and Echoing Green[5] to explore using art to change narratives around mass incarceration. He redesigned the logo for the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., in celebration of that museum's centennial,[6] and estimated that he had sold $1 million worth of art in 2021 alone.[2] Within five years of his release from prison, his paintings were displayed in galleries around the world, including Paris, France,[7] Washington, DC, Houston, Palm Beach, Dubai, and MoMA PS1 in Queens, New York,[8] along with residencies in Barcelona and Los Angeles.[9]
Art
editFlowers views his painting as a means of changing narratives around mass incarceration. Many of Flowers' works center around the theme of a "superpredator", which was how Flowers was labeled during his time behind bars.[2] Another common theme is "Love is ...", a phrase that repeatedly occurs in his work, including in the title of his book Love is the Vaccine.[10]
Though largely self-taught, his work has been described as influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat, "with a touch of abstract expressionism included for good measure."[8] Flowers has described his own style as "optical improvisation."[9]
Selected works
edit- 2024: Audacity to Love
- 2024: Struttura dell’Amore
- 2023: $uperpredator at MFAH
- 2023: Love is the Re-soul-u-tion
- 2022: Man Date
- 2021: Superpredator Loves Agape
- 2020: Dichotomy's Dialectic Dissected
References
edit- ^ "Halim Flowers shares story of life in federal prison". The Bison News. 2017-03-30. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ a b c d Williams, Elliott (2021-12-03). "Halim Flowers was given two life sentences at 17. Now, his art is shown worldwide". NPR. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ Antholis, Kary (2020-09-03). "Interview: Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson, on Thirty Years of Making Films about Crime, Incarceration and America's Social Ills – Part 1". Crime Story. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "Halim Flowers - Halcyon". 27 January 2021.
- ^ "Halim Flowers".
- ^ "Halim Flowers | the Phillips Collection". 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Halim Flowers, from US prison cell to Paris art show". RFI. 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ a b Helander, Bruce (2021-05-26). "A Blossoming Bouquet of Flowers". WBP Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ a b "State Of The Arts: 9 Visual Artists Leading The Cultural Conversation Right Now". Gotham Magazine. 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ Bellos, Avalon Ashley (2023-02-15). "Halim Flowers: In trying times, 'Love is the Vaccine'". amNY. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
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