Justice For Antwon

Morgan Overton
Justice For Antwon, 2019
Watercolor

“I created this work in March 2019 to honor the humanity and spirit of Antwon Rose II, a 17-year old Woodland Hills High School student who was tragically murdered by East Pittsburgh police officer Michael Rosfeld in June, 2018. Upon the pronouncement of the “not guilty” verdict of Rosfeld, I sought permission from Antwon’s mother to paint a portrait of him, and raise funding through prints to support her. Within a week of releasing the painting on social media, I raised over $700 from community members - all was donated to his mother. At the celebration of Antwon’s 19th birthday in July 2019, I presented the original painting to his mother. This painting shows the impact art has on social issues and provided a means for the community to heal. One member of the Braddock community expressed to me that they were unable to attend the demonstrations, but the prints allowed him to cope with the tragedy and shared them with Antwon’s friends.” - Morgan Overton

Morgan Overton is a visual artist, Pittsburgh native, and alumna of the University of Pittsburgh (A&S ‘16, SOCWRK ‘20). Her work amplifies the voices and visibility of society’s historically silenced. Morgan’s work has featured unsung heroes to amplify their legacies, to the heroes within ourselves - uplifting the humanity, beauty, and brilliance of Black culture. Morgan believes the arts are a powerful platform to challenge the status quo. She creates in various mediums to vibrantly convey the Nina Simone quote - “It is the artist’s duty to reflect the times”. Morgan’s work has also been nationally and internationally exhibited.