The Mural
About the Artist
Tierney L. Malone, a contemporary artist born in Los Angeles, California, was raised in Mississippi and Alabama, identifying strongly with his Southern roots. Since 1987, he has been actively exhibiting his work in Houston. His art has found its place in numerous prominent collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Goldman Sachs, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Houston. Residing in Houston's historic Third Ward with his wife and daughter, Malone infuses his modern-day storytelling with the language and style of pop culture, history, music, and typography. Through this unique blend, he creates graphically compelling portraits of remarkable individuals who both embody beauty and challenge the American caste system.
About the Mural
The mural, 'Toward: Liberation and Freedom', commissioned in August of 2021 is inspired by the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work dynamic mission to encourage future social workers to return to being activists and abolitionists in the areas and issues that affect the communities they will serve. Each panel in the mural is drawn from the UHGCSW recommended reading list which included the works of activists and scholars advocating for a more moral, just and equitable society.
In my work music is a major catalyst for my creativity. Records, 78’s,45’s and albums are durable historic documents. Stereo speakers allow us to hear music and voices with messages for our spirit, enlightenment, solidarity and resistance. The following is a breakdown of elements and the names of subjects illustrated in the mural.
STEREO Refers to the use of the left and right audio channels to fully experience the sounds being heard. I would like the viewer to use both channels of emotion and reasoning when experiencing the ideas I'm presenting.
SPEAKER Represents the continuation of the tradition of abolition and resistance of freedom fighters and activists by people of color from our nation's history. Ida B. Wells is the brand of the speaker system. It is because of her and other freedom fighters that did foundational work that the voices of activists like Assata Shakur (quote on sound waves) can be heard as a part of that tradition.
FREE ANGELA DAVIS BUTTON Activist, scholar, author, Angela Davis has spent her life challenging our country's system of racial caste. This panel is a reminder that there is a consequence to speaking truth to power. Angela Davis is the example of a committed life to critique this system and advocate for change. The color green represents the grass root groups across the country who created this button to raise money for her defense fund. If you support the community the community will support you. Ms. Davis has been a guest lecturer at the UHGCSW program.
THE NEW JIM CROW Lawyer, legal scholar and author, Michelle Alexander has given us the marching orders in her seminal book,’The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness’ for the work that needs to be done in order to realize racial equality, free of our racial caste. It is a work that should be in the arsenal of anyone seeking to push for change.
TOWARD The GCSW philosophical charge for 2022. In the mural Toward is the name of the album I visually created for the viewer to listen to and record as a part of the tradition of abolition and resistance. Freedom & Liberation is the name of the song. GCSW is the name of your band.
BIRD UNCAGED: An Abolitionist Freedom Song’ This is the title of one of the books on the students recommended reading list. I watched author and prison abolitionist, Marlon Peterson lecture on his book and found his story and ideas quite compelling and profound. He is a witness to the reality of the system that Michelle Alexander so brilliantly reveals on the opposite side of the record. For those who aspire to do this work Brother Peterson’s voice must be acknowledged and heard.
BLACK LIVES MATTER Most of the people who will walk down the hall and pass the mural are witnesses to the birth of the movement BLM. Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patisse Cullors are the originators of this call for action to protest police brutality. Their names should be known as a part of that tradition of resistance and activism and a part of our nation's history.
NIKOLE HANNAH JONES In the work of award-winning journalist, author and scholar, Nikole Hannah Jones, she makes it plain that we as a nation have resegregated our public schools offering an inferior education for those of color. Her quote is a call to the urgency of this issue that is currently affecting the quality of life for children around the country.
EJI Equal Justice Initiative logo. The work of lawyer, legal scholar, author and activist. Bryan Stevenson and his EJI organization are on the frontline in the struggle against the consequences of our racial caste system on our criminal justice system. He is another example of a committed life to critique our society and advocate for change.
It is my hope that the mural, ‘Toward: Liberation & Freedom' is a reflection of the GCSW’s revolutionary vision for the future of the field of social work. Listening and learning from the past as you write and record towards a new future.
Much Peace, Tierney
