An acrylic painting depicting police officers as animals with tusks was selected “on behalf of” Representative Lacy Clay (D-MO-1st) as a fitting representation of the August 9, 2014, shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
David Pulphus is the artist who painted the scene. The St. Louis American reports that Pulphus is a “Cardinal Ritter College Prep graduate.” His painting is titled “An Artistic Discovery” and it is now on display inside the U.S. Capitol.
It was entered into a “nationwide art contest coordinated by members of the U.S. House of Representatives” and selected as the winner. It depicts “a downtown street scene with the Gateway Arch displayed in the background and three police officers with animal heads, two with guns in hand, and a large group of marchers moving toward the police.”
The Independent Journal Review quoted a press release which captured Representative Clay’s praise for the painting:
In his remarks to the overflow crowd of young artists, parents and teachers who gathered at Webster University’s new downtown St. Louis campus in the historic Arcade Building, Congressman Clay said, “Tonight, we are celebrating our sixteenth year of recognizing outstanding young artistic talent. As you can see from the artwork on display here, the level of talent is truly impressive. Your work is inspiring, and I encourage all of you to continue to develop your creative abilities.
During remarks on the House Floor, Clay described the painting as the “most creative expression that I’ve witnessed over the last 16 years.”
Representative Dave Reichert (R-WA-8) was previously in law enforcement. He commented on the painting and the fact that it is being displayed in the Capitol, saying:
It is disheartening to see this depiction of law enforcement hanging in the hallway of our nation’s Capitol where officers work everyday to protect our safety and freedoms. Unfortunately, many people of influence have taken part in promoting offensive and inaccurate caricatures of the very people who do the most to protect our families. While I understand in some neighborhoods trust between police and communities has all but deteriorated, we must work on rebuilding these relationships and focus on our shared goals of peace and civility.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of “Bullets with AWR Hawkins,” a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.