top of page
Search
Writer's pictureBA Ciccolella
Oct 14, 20201 min read

Black Lives More Than Matter Mural – Norfolk NEON District

Updated: Dec 5, 2020

Interview by BA Ciccolella. Photos courtesy of Nicole Harp, Clayton Singleton, and Norfolk Public Schools.


Last July, two local Norfolk high school Fine Arts teachers, Ms. Nicole Harp of Granby and Mr. Clayton Singleton of Lake Taylor, answered an open call to artists from the Neon District Public Art Committee. Their newly completed piece, Black Lives More Than Matter, the mural on the rear of O.J. Wholesale, also home to Black-owned business Furious Styles on the second floor, is a reflection of the current cultural climate. It is also their first large project collaboration together.


Harp and Singleton are professional artists with extensive resumes, and both show an obvious passion for their creative callings. Spotlight News was lucky enough to sit down with them for an interview where we discussed (among other things) their projects (past, present, and future), their collaboration, and their ideas on how art can be used for communication and activism.

You can reach Nicole and Clayton online using the following links:


Norfolk’s mural projects are in partnership with several long-standing and diverse neighborhood businesses, showcasing the wide range of community involvement and investment.

Hopefully we will have the opportunity to see more of Harp and Singleton’s collaborations in the future!


The completed mural, with no one in the way. A black boy with headphones is the centerpiece. He looks out at us. Surrounding him are many other people of all colors, some holding signs, some bullhorns, some wear masks, some have their fists in the air. This is all imposed on a warm colored abstract background. Behind the clearer people are silhouettes of even more people, turning the whole picture into a march.

The final product. Photo courtesy of Nicole Harp.

Painters working on the mural at ground level.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Harp.

Nicole Harp up on the lift with a spray paint can.

Photo courtesy of Norfolk Public Schools.


Clayton and Nicole pose in front of a portion of their mural that reads B.L.M.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Harp.


Nicols Harp and Clayton Singleton pose on their lift.

Photo courtesy of Norfolk Public Schools.


Nicole Harp on a ladder, the photo is taken by someone all the way up on the lift, though we can't see them, we are looking down at her.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Harp.


The painters pose in front of their completed mural.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Harp.

25 views0 comments

Comments

bottom of page