The Double V Salute

The Double V Salute is a manifold thematic and epic artistic work. Subjects such as Warrior, Victory, War, WWII, Legacy, Leadership, Mentoring,... more

by Tanya Starks

Title

The Double V Salute

Artist

Tanya Starks

Medium

Digital Art - Digital

Description

The Double V Salute is a manifold thematic and epic artistic work. Subjects such as Warrior, Victory, War, WWII, Legacy, Leadership, Mentoring, Fatherhood, a letter and a letter in the letter, Tuskegee Airmen, Tuskegee Native Americans, last stage of metamorphosis, fourth quarter players stepping into destiny and Crossing Over ( see the sign to make you wonder** the three water beads or are those tear drops on the edge of a river, trail, or just the edge of a leaf?) are can be seen in this piece- Double V Salute. Read on if you choose to hear a Sankoffers facts, legends, and revelations of gold from the past.

KEY THEMES SALUTED and DESCRIBED

1. LETTERS
This piece is an artistic salute, a sankof and a play on words to the letter V and a letter. Note the history of the LETTER written by the James G. Thompson, January 31, 1942 to The Pittsburgh Courier. Note the two butterflies, and two V's in the butterflies� antennae. LETTER V in red is a hat tip to the red man and in the black to the black man. The warrior lives on in the airman.

2.THE RED TAILED TUSKEGEE AIRMEN
The negroes, coloreds, blacks or African Americans who ascended to the status of military aviators were given a name- the Tuskegee Airmen. They were later nicknamed the Red Tails because of the brush of red on tail of their planes. (I know it was the blood)
The Tuskegee airmen trained in and flew a variety of planes like the legendary trainers PT 13, 17, 19, BT 13 as well as the P -39, -40, -51. the 477th trained in such planes as B25 This piece salutes them - The Red Tails.

3. DR CLAUDE R PLATTE AND CLAUDE'S RED TAIL
A flight instructor for the Tuskegee Airmen. Captain Platte was a powerful influence in my life and in the lives of many individuals. While looking for Texas butterflies to compare to my hero I discovered the Red Rim or Crimson-banded Black (Biblis hyperia) is a species of brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae) that is native to the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America as far south as Paraguay. I have nicknamed the butterflly Claude's Red Tail since I found the red tailed butterfly inspired by him. This is my way of giving a hats off to Dr. Platte.

4. Victory and V TO THE V SALUTE
Simply put this piece is a salute to the concept VICTORY and overcoming obstacles and launching into the unknown. Also this piece is a Sankoffing Veteran reaching back into the past to salute victory in a particular way- with a double portion.

5. ARTISTIC WARFARE STRATEGY
This picture is an artistic strategic counter offensive against the words that taunted blacks desiring to be military aviators in the 1940�s. The words this picture�s theme assaults: "You are not smart, physically fit or courageous enough to be a military aviator warrior". This piece is a banner waving saying YES WE DID! Those Red Tails proved those lying words wrong. In addition, the dynamic father and son duo were the first 20th century African American military generals in history. They got the double V! Wave this print as a banner flag- OH YES WE WERE DOUBLY VICTORIOUS!

6. GENERALS
In this piece I artistically salute the legendary military generals the Davis'. The Benjamin O Davis (BOD) legacy is a family jewel, a banner held dearly, and again is waived high by many in the military like myself.

7. FAMILY- FATHERS & SONS
This piece is also a salute to a barrier breaking family. This is a salute to a team of 2. A salute to noble and courageous fathers and sons who overcame against all odds.

8. AFRICAN AMERICANS or BLACKS in AMERICA
The Double V Salute piece is a salute to the African Americans the people of color in America. -note the colors of the banner flag of the African in America red, black and green.

9. UNITY & TEAMWORK
It takes a whole squadron to lift the plane of the military aviator in the sky. Note not a single butterfly but two WE the pilot and the support of the team.

10. NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE- TUSKEGEE
Last but not least this sankoffer artistically tips the hat to a Native American tribe who, it would appear is obscure and forgotten - the Tuskegee, of Alabama.

The Double V Salute is a picture about the sankoffer�s legend to the legends- the Tuskegee Airmen. It is a fact that the name Tuskegee is reported to mean WARRIOR.

So then the sankoffer's legend is that the name �Red Tail� is an Indian or Native American name as well as a nickname. Watch for the double....The military aviator legends, the Tuskegee airmen picked up the Tuskegee warrior�s mantle left behind on the trail of tears and crossed over the river of tears to boldly manifest the warrior�s soar.

Now thus concludes the sankoffer�s legend of the noble Tuskegee, a man's letter to the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper, themes of courage and so forth. Now concludes an artists' description of the piece titled the Double V Salute. Thank you for going sankoffing with me.

Uploaded

June 20th, 2013