The Ominous Stars and Stripes of David Hammons

At the start of this year, Los Angeles was burning and Donald Trump became the 47th President of the United States. This country stands on the precipice of something momentous, likely disastrous. Teetering on the edge of fascism, its dreams of prosperity and equality seem to be turning to ash, much like the 12,000 buildings lost to the LA fires, underscored by the news that 1,000 of California’s frontline firefighters are incarcerated and woefully under-compensated under inmate servitude. 

It’s hard to feel any optimism during this turbulent time. These grotesque injustices, the anger and fear that have taken root in the pit of my chest, all draw me to David Hammons’s iconic work Injustice Case (1970). Part of his series ‘Body Prints’ (1968–79) – for which the artist would cover his body in grease, press it against large sheets of paper, then dust the oil-stained parts with dry pigment – Injustice Case features a figure gagged and tied to a chair. The print is set against an American flag, creating an ominous border of stars and stripes. 

Originally created in response to the Bobby Seale trial of 1969 – a watershed moment in which the Black Panther leader was infamously gagged and shackled during court proceedings – Hammons’s piece underlines the pervasive injustices faced by Black individuals within a system meant to uphold the law. In light of the current political climate and environmental catastrophe, this reflection on racial discrimination and systemic oppression feels, sadly, more pertinent than ever.

The work, which focuses on the voicelessness of Black bodies, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles for equity and justice in the US. To me, it encapsulates the unrelenting rage and helplessness that have come to define not only the experience of the Other in America but, increasingly, what it means to be American. Despite being a literal impression of the artist’s body, the work evokes a certain interiority, reminiscent of an X-ray. In many ways, the fires ravaging LA parallel the societal flames of disenfranchisement that Hammons articulated decades ago. The urgency of his message cuts through the chaos, prompting introspection on the systemic failures that exacerbate injustice.

Hammons’s work engages us in a dialogue about the very fabric of American society, challenging us to confront the painful truths that lie beneath our collective narrative. His pieces from the late 1960s and early ’70s – especially those made within the vibrant LA art scene – contextualize his messages amid the civil rights struggles of the era. As the city now grapples with both natural disasters and social unrest, Hammons’s art becomes a vital conduit for reflection and a call to action.

This article first appeared in frieze issue 249 with the headline ‘Red Glare’

David Hammons’s ‘Concerto in Black and Blue’ is on view at Hauser and Wirth, Los Angeles, until 1 June

^{Main image: David Hammons, Injustice Case (detail), 1970, body print and American flag, 160 × 102 cm. Courtesy: © David Hammons and Los Angeles County Museum of Art; photograph: © Museum Associates/LACMA}