The September issue of Vanity Fair is available now and features Breonna Taylor on the cover with artwork by Amy Sherald.
In a story by Miles Pope, Sherald, who was selected by Michelle Obama to paint her portrait for the National Portrait Gallery said, “I wanted her family to look and say, I can see my daughter and sister in this.”
She also added, “Painting someone posthumously, I wanted it to feel ethereal but grounded at the same time.”
It could be recall that Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old EMT worker, who was killed by Louisville police officers on March 13 as a result of a mistaken drug raid at her apartment. Authorities were serving a narcotics warrant, but no drugs were found at her home.
Taylor was shot eight times while she was sleeping. Taylor’s death is one that has touched off months of global demonstrations over the death of Black people by police officers.
Since Taylor’s shooting, the City of Louisville has banned “no-knock” warrants.
Only Brett Hankison, one of the three officers involved in her death, have been fired. Jon Mattingly and Myles Cosgroveto are still employed by the Louisville Police Department. None have been officially charged in her killing.
