Loose Cigarettes is a collection of work by artist Semaj L’rae. It offers an alternative interpretation of the trauma enacted upon black bodies that has gained national attention largely through the ground swell of grassroots activism (specifically movements like Black Lives Matter), social media, and news outlets. Drawing parallels between iconic representations of popular culture and the current racial divide that remains present in our society, L’rae establishes the position that this rash of violence is not an anomaly. It has always existed lying just below the surface, waiting to latch onto a willing host to maintain its survival.
