DES MOINES, Iowa — Robert Moore, a local multidisciplinary artist, inspired by national and global protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death curated a silent protest where he felt it was needed most: rural America.
“We’re able to project a digital image on something that’s very recognizable, almost iconic in rural America. And that’s grain or corn silos. And these black images of these black humans towering in this field,” said Moore.
The project entitled “Harvesting Humanity” is meant to evoke thoughts and conversations of racial disparities in red, rural, conservative communities.
“Provoking and harvesting a thought that maybe these aren’t victims, maybe these aren’t savages, maybe they have a reason to have these strong feelings and put a tone of humanity to a lot of our cries,” said Moore.
The silos featured about 50 different faces, representing the past, present and future of the black community. Iconic historical faces such Malcolm X and Rosa Parks were used along with the faces of black Americans killed at the hands of police.
“Then we had some youth. Just some regular folks, both domestic and immigrants, that live here in our community that I wanted to reflect. I think that I’ve noticed there is a sense of light if you are trying to enter a dark tunnel of breaking down racists’ views and sometimes that’s just a child,” said Moore.
Moore says growing up in rural Iowa he knows firsthand the value of exposing others to different cultures and people.
“I’ve been categorized as black and white. I’ve also had a contrast of growing up, half of my public school time in metro urban Des Moines and then high school in suburban or rural Johnston. It was a vast cultural difference, and to me the theme was exposure and education, which potential, which, arguably, and I would say definitely does it harvest is ignorance,” said Moore.
Moore is hoping that this silent protest will help others “harvest a heart.”
“Listen to the topics from the lens and the ear of a human. Politics, all that other crap aside, and you might start to hear us differently,” said Moore.
To view more of Moore’s work, click here.
