President Donald Trump expressed appreciation for U.S. service members on Super Bowl Sunday, saying their bravery and sacrifice help make occasions like the year’s most-watched football game possible and renewing his criticism of NFL players who kneel during the national anthem. “Though many of our Nation’s service members are unable to be home with family and friends to enjoy this evening’s American tradition, they are always in our thoughts and prayers,” Trump said in a statement about the game shortly before the matchup between the defending New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles got underway.
If you've been driving along I-95 lately you may have found yourself doing a double-take at what looks like a crime scene.
It's actually art.
You can see the piece, which some are calling "Hanging Banker," on the northbound side of of the highway in the artsy Wynwood District near Northwest 23rd Street.
A graffiti artist who calls himself "Above" says he created it after he was inspired by the mounting influence of the Occupy movement and its ensuing protests around the world.
"It's my voice and my way of expressing how gross and sick this whole situation is in general," Above said, referring to what he calls corporate greed.
The piece includes a painting that runs along the wall of an entire city block and plays off the old adage "Give a fool enough rope and he'll hang himself."
But here the fool is the Wall Street banker, depicted by a mannequin in a suit hanging from a power line by a noose. A sheet over his head makes him anonymous.
"You don't have to read it, you can just get it immediately when you see it," Above said. "it's extremely aggressive and that's actually the point."
He started the piece two weeks ago and is happy it's getting so much exposure to motorists, who sometimes even pull over to get a closer look.
"When I saw it I was like, 'whoa, what is that?'" said Melissa Williams, who pulled over to take photos. "Like, the impression of that was really strong on me."
"Everybody's entitled to their own opinion, and some people will praise it, others will deny it and criticize it and shoot it down, but the point being is that it's getting people talking about the movement," Above said.
