Bootstraps is a 3D printed hanging sculpture by mixed media painter Darryl Westly. The ragged, torn-up boots suggest they have been worn on the path of someone who has struggled, such as a houseless individual, a migrant worker, or a refugee. The title echoes a common capitalist trope, that someone who wants to improve their lot in life needs only to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Informed by everyday environments and experiences, Westly paints scenes that are recognizable to most viewers, set in what are often ordinary circumstances. Some of his images capture quotidian moments of mundanity or relaxation. Others carefully restate scenes and images from art history, deftly placing them in a contemporary context. Within these accessible images, certain subversive elements challenge the viewer to look deeper into what Westly is portraying. One such example is Westly’s vibrantly painted portrayal of the moment police officers first made contact with George Floyd, while Floyd was in the driver’s seat of his car. The softness of the color relationships and the semi-transparent luminosity of the paint lend the image an almost joyful atmosphere. The humanity of the figure is what is most readily apparent. The instantly recognizable facial features of Floyd, however, immediately bring to mind the horrific suffering this human is about to be put through.