Chris Christion
Portraits of Criminals
2004
In 2004 I had been mulling over a range of ideas and feelings regarding racial profiling, representation the move of archives of information from hardcopy to digital.
For the Portrait of Criminals series, I wanted to engage people in the process of slow looking. I would draw out these images of black leaders and activist mugshots from these distorted internet images.
I’d then erase their arrest placard and leave only their face visible from a distance. As you approach the work their arrest placard is revealed to you as well as their name which is displayed as they were in many arrest photos of Jim Crow era activists.
Malcolm X, CM 2006 Graphite on paper 19” x 27.5”
Bayard Rustin, CM 2006 Graphite on paper 19” x 27.5”
MLK, CM 2009 Graphite on paper 19” x 27.5”
Malcolm X, CM 2006 Graphite on paper 19” x 27.5”
A Few Notes about the project:
In 2004 I had been mulling over a range of ideas and feelings regarding racial profiling, representation the move of archives of information from hardcopy to digital. For the Portrait of Criminals series, I wanted to engage people in the process of slow looking. I would draw out these images of black leaders and activist mugshots from these distorted internet images. I’d then erase their arrest placard leaving only their face visible from a distance. As you approach the work their arrest placard is revealed to you as well as their name which is displayed as they were in many arrest photos of Jim Crow era activists.