25 dominos


James P. Anderson

Dimensions:  1¼  x 2½  x  ⅜ inches  

Acrylic on etched domino


Each domino is etched and painted with words and images that honor the people, organizations and movements in the artist’s rich political life.



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  1. “AR” for Alternative Radio 90.1 KALW, Pacifica Radio.
  2. Funk with “STR” for George Clinton and the P-Funk all stars.
  3. “C” with bird. The letter “C” represents the Commonweal Institute. The bird is the artist’s “signature” and symbolizes freedom. Dedicated to Katherine Forrest.
  4. “Obama, 44” honoring the 44th U.S. president, with 365 etched on the side representing 365 electoral college votes.
  5. “Gone But Not Forgotten” for victims of police violence.
  6. 9/11” on the face and “truth” on the side for the 9/11 Truth Commission.
  7. “BLM” created for Black Lives Matter Movement after George Floyd’s murder. 
  8. “LA” with a skyline for Los Angeles organizers and activists.
  9.  Pipe with his signature which is a bird symbol.
  10. White domino with penny and coin found in prison yard.
  11. Palestine Flag with Minnesota state Congressional Representative Ilahan Omar’s initials etched “I.O.” on the side. 
  12. “CR Eye” representing the Critical Resistance logo. “Critical” is on one edge, “Mar” on the other. 
  13. “DZ”: for Dave Ziren, sports editor for The Nation.
  14. Sowetto, with ball and chain (now missing) made from “bop gun” rubber bullet found in prison yard. 
  15. “LP” for Laura Poitras, documentary filmmaker and co-founder of The Intercept
  16. “99er” for Occupy Wall Street Movement.
  17.  Palestine Flag with Michigan state Congressional Representative Rashida Tlaib’s initials “R.T.” on the side.
  18. “N-Tombstone” symbolically commemorates the NAACP’s 2007 burial of the N-word from the English vocabulary.
  19. K – for Katherine Forrest, co-founder of Commonweal Institute.
  20. “PDC”: Peninsula Democratic Coalition, dedicated to PDC member Katherine Forrest.
  21. Black domino with a quarter. The coin material was found in the prison yard.
  22. “Code Pink” for Medea Benjamin.
  23. Ankh, which is the Egyptian symbol for the “Key of Life” with decorative dots. 
  24. Tilted Scales of Justice to represent the unjust criminal legal system.
  25. Marijuana Pipe with marijuana leaf etched into it.
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