Campaign Spotlight: FRED & FARID launches #NoMoreBlackTargets an artistic project to raise awareness of the danger of unconscious bias

NEW YORK CITY – No More Black Targets is a collective of artists, diverse in backgrounds, ethnicities and nationalities, working in paint, digital media, pattern making and also physical installations to bring new artwork to life. The collective stand for “More paint. Less hate.” Launching during Black History Month in partnership with the New York Society for Ethical Culture and FRED & FARID #NoMoreBlackTargets is an artistic project to raise awareness of the danger of unconscious bias and how it may be perpetuating gun violence against young black males.

In America, this violence against young black males is surging. For some reason, young black men are 3X more likely to be shot by trained shooters than their white peers. A disturbing potential correlation: The most popular target for shooters to learn to use their firearm is a black silhouette. This correlation was reinforced by an academic study featured by NPR, and published by Yara Mekawi and Konrad Bresin of the University of Illinois who studied trigger bias to examine whether race affects how likely a target is to be shot. This art project seeks to eliminate the use of the most popular target for shooters to learn to use their firearm: a menacing black silhouette. In shooting ranges, in permitting and instruction environments, anywhere someone is learning to use a firearm.

The artists painted over the “human black silhouette” the most popular target for shooters to learn their firearm with artistic interpretations that turn the menacing black targets into beautiful, colorful, and optimistic art.

Sponsor

With the support of 3rd Culture Creative, the ever-growing artistic collective includes: Ibn Anderson, AvisualBliss, BilliKid, Brolga, Denton Burrows, Uta Brauser, ButtSup, Julien Calot, Daine Carter, Castelbajac Creative, Steven Cogle, ConsumerArt, Cypha, Bernadette Delany, Dertism, Felipe Echeverry, Mason Eve, FKDL, Greg Frederick – VinylPopArt, Fumero, Gazoo, Gil Goren, Michael Hess, Iconic and 2cents, JCBKNYC, Jenna Krypell, Damien Mitchell, Alice Mizrachi, Vahram Muratyan, Thomas Raillard, Sacsix, Lane Scarano, Sines, Pamela Streetsmartguidenyc, Sean Sullivan, Tats Cru, Jean Tinnen, B.D. White, Adrian Wilson, YesOne, Augustin Zeller, Zimer, ZroPro, with more artists being added every day.

On February 2, the initiative took up residence in the passageway between Houston Street and First Street, and on February 19th, it was successfully exhibited at the Richard Taittinger art gallery.

Interested artists, activists and collaborators can contribute their own target art through a simple template, sign the petition, and see a gallery of artwork contributed from around the globe at www.nomoreblacktargets.com.

CREDITS

Association: New York Society for Ethical Culture

Title: #Nomoreblacktargets

Agency : FRED & FARID

Chief Creative Officers: Fred & Farid

Creative Director: Laurent Leccia

Art Directors: Cypha, Pamela Jean Tinnen, Streetsmartguidenyc, AvisualBliss,

JCBKNYC, BilliKid, ConsumerArt ,YesOne, Brolga, FKDL, Iconic and 2cents, Sines,

B.D. White, Gil Goren, Gazoo, ButtSup ,Greg Frederick – VinylPopArt , Daine Carter,

Mason Eve, Damien Mitchell, Lane Scarano, ZroPro, Uta Brauser , Sacsix, Dertism ,

Felipe Echeverry ,Tats Cru, Steven Cogle, Thomas Raillard, Julien Calot, Alice

Mizrachi, Jenna Krypell, Sean Sullivan, Zimer, Bernadette Delany, Castelbajac