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Artist Flahn Manly

@flahnmanly

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Art that focuses on Freedom & Social Transformation.
All Statements reflects my personal views!

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“Fire!! / LIBERATE,” captures my vision of Blackness reimagined. I wanted to portray a powerful and visceral expression of emotion through the portrait of a Black man in a moment of intense release, his head thrown back, mouth wide open, as if unleashing a primal scream. I used dynamic shades of gray to emphasize the tension in his muscles and the rawness of his expression, with a vivid orange background to evoke the heat and intensity of flames. The bold brushstrokes and textured surface add energy and movement, embodying the sense of igniting something deep within.

“Fire!! / LIBERATE” is my declaration of liberation and resistance, a visual statement that sets fire to the remnants of systematic oppression. Through this piece, I challenge the dominance of Western thought and dismantle colonial ideologies that have sought to suppress Black identity. I paint Black men as free because it’s the world I imagine for them—a world where they exist fully, unburdened by societal constraints, in all their strength and freedom. This work is both a celebration and a call to action, inviting viewers to envision a future where Black liberation is unapologetically asserted.

This piece was inspired by “I AM FINE” a short film in collaboration with my brother @mradrianwilson

Acrylic on Canvas
56x82

Please contact artist if you’re interested making this apart of your collection. by @flahnmanly

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2 years ago

Art is embedded into history

If you know me, you know George Floyd Square holds a special place in my heart. Four years ago, George Floyd was murdered just a few blocks from where I lived, and it changed everything. For eight months, I filmed what I saw and felt, turning that raw emotion into a documentary.

Two years ago, I poured my heart into a short film called “I’M FINE” a piece that captured the weight of the emotions we all carry daily. Even when the world is crumbling around us, we still manage to say “I’m fine” when deep down, we’re anything but.

Today, a part of that film is on a billboard at George Floyd Square. To see this work live on, not just here but traveling the country in museums, means the world. My deepest thanks to my brother, @flahnmanly for immortalizing this project and helping it reach places I never imagined.

Art heals. Art lives.

📸 @townsend.creative taken in George Floyd's Memorial by @flahnmanly

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2 years ago

Wow wow!! Artist Flahn Manly Billboard
up at George Floyd Square!

Title: FIRE! / LIBERATE

Thanks to @northeastsculpture gallery by @flahnmanly

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2 years ago

Meet Collins Wiah, a visual artist from Liberia, West Africa.

Wiah’s paintings are conversations about identity, vulnerability, and the quiet strength found in everyday life. He draws inspiration from the people around him, their stories, emotions, and the moments that often go unnoticed.

Through portraiture, Wiah explores what it means to be seen. Rather than creating perfect representations, he uses symbolism, color, and texture to express the invisible: memory, hope, struggle, love, and resilience. Every figure becomes more than an individual; each becomes a reflection of shared human experience.

“I use symbolism, color, and texture to express the invisible: memory, hope, struggle, love, and resilience,” Wiah says.

He wants his work to encourage viewers to slow down, to question first impressions, and to recognize the beauty and dignity that exist within ordinary lives. by @flahnmanly

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a month ago

Your Testimony is about to Change. by @flahnmanly

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a month ago

Someone is about get there breakthrough, but you have to come agreement and activate your faith. Let’s Go!

I AM ABOUT TO GET MY BREAKTHROUGH

I MUST HAVE MY BREAKTHROUGH

I SHALL RECEIVE MY BREAKTHROUGH

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN

I MUST HAVE THIS MOUNTAIN

I SHALL RECEIVE THIS MOUNTAIN.

Repeat this as much as you need to until you feel a shift! One though, you have to engage your entire being.

All that you want is already yours, you just gotta be willing to take and receive it. by @flahnmanly

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a month ago

Your Favorite Liberian Artist and Human Spirit Capturer. by @flahnmanly

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a month ago

Good Morning! Great Morning! Have a Great Morning by @flahnmanly

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2 months ago

Your Life can change in the Blink of an eye.

This was by far the of the best projects I’ve worked on to date. Thanks to my team at @weareround21 and the hottest team in the League @timberwolves

From Seed to Scale.
Black History Moves The Pack. by @flahnmanly

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2 months ago

Liberia is in the News for bad press, and here I am painting a Life size image waving the Liberian Flag.

If I was a Token Negro Artist, I’d be somewhere hiding in shame. But I love her, I’d never turn my back on her. Ever.

ISA 61:7
instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. by @flahnmanly

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2 months ago

I told my mother, “Mommy, I am going to change your status! But first, you have to learn how to read and write. You’ve been cheated your entire life, and that’s about to change!”

I commissioned my niece to teach her.

A week or so later, I received a picture in my inbox of Mommy learning how to read and write. She started out by listing all of her children’s names.

Ahh, that put the biggest smile on my face.

So I decided to paint it.

Mommy represents so many young girls and boys who have been deprived of an education. Her story highlights not only what was taken from her, but what can still be restored.

There is something powerful about watching someone learn what they should have been given from the beginning.

This painting is about more than learning how to read and write. It is about dignity. It is about opportunity. It is about breaking cycles. It is saying, “It is not too late.”

Mommy spent a lifetime being denied an opportunity. Now, in this chapter of her life, she is learning to write her own name, the names of her children, and ultimately, her own story.

And Mommy, I meant what I said.

I’m going to change your status.

This is only the beginning. by @flahnmanly

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2 months ago

I’m often asked, where do I get my inspiration for my work?

Simple answer: LIBERIA!

What exactly about Liberia?

Everything!

The People, Land, Resilience, Pride, Culture, Food, Joy, Love, History, etc.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!

Liberians can be anything, but not everyone can be Liberian.

This is why She’s the ultimate muse in my work!

📸📸 by my brother @shaddythashooter 🇱🇷🇱🇷 by @flahnmanly

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2 months ago