Red Springs Mural Dedicated to Robeson County Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)

The Red Springs Arts Council and Town of Red Springs held a mural dedication this past Saturday in Red Springs, North Carolina.

The mural was a creation by renowned artist and visionary Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier, director and founder of The Journey Projects and member of Indi/visible. Other partners included local painters and artists Donnie “Red Hawk” McDowell (Tuscarora) and Narzhio Calvin Boy Stuckey.

The mural was created to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in Robeson County, domestic violence victims and other women victims of violence in the county.

The project follows a series of activities in Robeson County by Indi/visible, a group of Lumbee, Tuscarora and African

American women working to use art as a form of healing for friends and families of the missing and murdered in Robeson County. The group has partnered with the UNC-Pembroke Museum of the Southeast American Indian and Shatter the Silence on projects designed to encourage friends and families of victims to use culture and art as a way to process complex emotions and move through trauma.

The mural project was funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, with North Carolina statewide organization Women AdvaNCe serving as fiscal sponsor.

The mural is located at: 112 E. 3rd Avenue, Red Springs, North Carolina.

Full mural dedication by Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier

There is meaning to the mural. It is not random. It is dedicated to women who have been the victim of domestic violence as well as those women who have gone missing and those murdered. It is not pleasant and I have been listening to many women.

The mural contains many lotus blossoms, which is both a symbol for victims, as well as a symbol of rebirth. The other thing is that the lotus blooms in murky waters. Many of these women bloomed despite murky circumstances. Those murdered and missing left behind friends and relatives who continue to advocate for justice. Little Raft Swamp is within walking distance of the mural, which also contains dragonflies and various flora that I imagine thrives in the swamp. The background color is yellow, a nod to the Ifa deity Oshun (beauty, love, creativity). Light is important in a swamp.

The wall is 40’ x 15’. I was assisted by Donnie “Red Hawk” McDowell and Narzhio Calvin Boy Stuckey. The Red Springs Arts Council and the Town of Red Springs also assisted with administration of the project as well as the Robeson County Arts Council.

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts

In addition to the mural, Lynn also facilitated an event using cyanotype in the county, which according to this article by The Artling describes cyanotype as “one of the oldest photographic printing processes in the history of photography.” The cyanotype project was in collaboration with the Southeastern Family Violence Center.

Learn more

The North Carolina Arts Council delivers resources to arts organizations and artists to support projects and programs of public value that revitalize downtowns, educate and empower North Carolina youths, and fuel a thriving non-profit creative sector that generates over $2 billion annually.

Women AdvaNCe is a 501(c3) nonprofit media outlet dedicated to sharing stories of North Carolina women. The organization operates statewide.

Indi/visible is a group of artists and storytellers who are working with the families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) to uplift their voices and build community through the arts and storytelling.

The Journey Projects creates public art installations that engage communities in thinking about personal ancestry and the ancestral memory of the landscape and place.

The Southeastern Family Violence Center offers crisis intervention, shelter, and advocacy services for adult (men & women) as well as child victims of intimate partner violence and/or family violence.