The Ray of Georgia: Unchained My Hands

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So thought provoking. Amazing painting .

Thanks Sylvia Evans

This is another work in Roses and thorns painting series by O. Yemi and was influenced by the movie of Ray Charles’ life. Born poor and raised by his mother in O. Yemi’s adopted state of Georgia in USA. Ray lost his sight when he was very young around four or five old. Ray Charles grew up at a time when people of his skin colour were considered less human and were denied equal opportunities with the white people. To imply that Ray Charles used his music to echo the cry of African-Americans during the civil rights movement, O. Yemi changed the wording of his songs - “Unchained my heart” for the title of this painting to “The Ray of Georgia: Unchained my Hands.” The movie showed many flashbacks of Ray Charles childhood years. The memory of the drowning of his little brother George and his own battles with drugs addiction was the main focus of this painting. On the left side of the painting is Ray Charles playing piano in a concert hall with stems of thorns wrapped around his upper body.