Charles' Legacy Portrait of Charles Andre' Johnson by Ann Price Hartzell
From the artist Ann Price Hartzell: Last year, I became involved with Souls Shot Portraits of Victims of Gun Violence. I had never done a portrait before - outside of art school. Charles is my third portrait for the project. The experience of working with and getting to know these families has changed my life and my perceptive.
As I worked on his portrait I asked Charles for guidance. Oddly, the strange and dramatic flaws that appeared seemed to be the work of a higher power. I left them just as the appeared. The symbolism was accidental at best but I see it everywhere, in the hole in Movita’s heart to the spark where Khalif is touching his father. I included Charles mother Movita and his son Khalif because Charles lives on. They will carry out his legacy and it will be a sight to behold.
From Charles’ mother Movita Johnson Harrell: Charles Andre’ Johnson, born September 20, 1992, was the youngest of four children and the light of the Johnson family. He could fix anything and the yard was littered with broken bikes, waiting for his magic touch, from neighborhood kids. A drummer and great dancer he taught his mother the latest moves. Children and animals gravitated to his loving spirit and he and siblings Denae, Donte’, and Charlyne rescued animals.The gun violence in Philadelphia caused us to leave for the suburbs, Landsdowne, in 2008 where we thought we were safe.
January 12th, 2011 at 10:40pm in Philadelphia Charles was sitting in a car waiting for his sister. Two men opened fire and at 12:55 Charles Andre’ Johnson, 18 years old, died. He was killed in a case of mistaken identity by two young men with previous records.
Charles had worked every day caring for over 100 chronically mentally ill adults, he had received an acceptance to school the day he died, and he was to be married. His only son, Khalif, was born 26 days after his death. This wonderful young man’s potential will never be realized because of gun violence and easy accessibility to guns. Our family was robbed of a lifetime of loving him, of celebrating with him, sharing with him. Charles lives on in his son Khalif and though his family and the work of the CHARLES Foundation to save kids on both sides of the gun because Creating Healthy Alternatives Results in Less Emotional Suffering.
From the curator: Souls Shot: Portraits of Victims of Gun Violence would not exist if not for the help and support of Movita Johhnson Harrell. She was able to invite us to support groups for grieving families and introduce the concept of the project. That core group of grieving family and friends helped us spread the word and the project was born and continues to bring their stories to the public. We will continue this quest to humanize the victims of gun violence through virtual means now and, in the future, in the experience of art exhibitions in person.
Charles’ Legacy Portrait of Charles Andre’ Johnson by Ann Price Hartzell reverse photo and acrylic on wood panel and foam core 24” x 18” 2018
