In 2022, Los Angeles lost a legendary artist and beloved member of the community. Noni Olabisi was renowned for her powerful murals that sought to incite change and inspire action.  Her unique figurative expression brought to life challenging histories of racism, inequality, and narratives of resistance and Black power. She worked in bold colors, which she masterfully wielded to create dynamic compositions that jumped off the wall. “I wanted the wall to scream,” she would say of her murals, and they did just that, broadcasting to the world the inequities she sought to confront. Each of her pieces featured a yellow dot to symbolize the sun, which for her reflected our inner light and connectedness. Her murals embody the spiritual and political balance she carried as she moved through the world. 

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1954, Olabisi began making art while in high school and went on to receive an associate arts degree from Los Angeles Southwest College in 1976. In 1992, despite never having painted at large scale, she submitted work to be considered for a commission with SPARC’s (Social and Public Art Resource Center) Neighborhood Pride Mural Program. She won the commission, leading her to produce several murals with SPARC, including her famously controversial mural “To Protect and Serve” (1996), which honored the history of the Black Panther Party and exposed the ongoing legacy of police brutality in Black and Brown communities; the work was so controversial that the City of Los Angeles attempted to censor it. Muralist Judy Baca recalls that while many artists at the time were making their art more palatable to gain commissions, Olabisi was unapologetic and laser-focused when it came to telling the uncensored history of her community. She left behind a body of work that is as relevant today as when she created it. While she left the world far too soon, her legacy is alive through her powerful art, which represents her impassioned voice for social justice.