Art Critique
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Cover, Alabama Justice, Scottsboro Ð- A Story in Block Prints, 1932
Lin Shi Khan and Ralph Austin (1912)
Media: Ink and pencil on brown craft paper
Different metaphors within an art work.
This print implies punishment made by a dishonest power. It took place in the early 1900s and involves an action taken by a KKK member. I would think that this print was published to show the public at the time what the reality was and how cruel and twisted were some of our political powers. The KKK clan member looks like a judge because you notice that he is holding a court hammer his left hand. Not only that but the rope hanging around his neck only contributes to me thinking he is a judge and that he sentences someone wrongfully. The lines on the back of the print make me feel as if the decision was made on a dark rainy day, or that this judge is a dark and evil person. Having his right hand up and a Christian cross on his head makes me think that he feels he is doing the right thing he is imposing his power as god being his witness. This print is well balanced out by the hammer in the left hand and the right hand upward position. It really gets to the point and the meaning is very obvious. Your attention is quickly drawn to the KKK member face and hammer.
After doing some research I have discovered that this print was made because of a court case that convicted nine male African-Americans of raping two girls. And although there was no evidence eight were convicted to death by the first day. A protest arose because of the court case decision including communist parties and involving both north and south. People were saint that these men were framed and sentenced wrongfully. But through all the all protest fight (that lasted a period of 30year) the Supreme Court overturned the decision