An exhibit at Chicago’s Gallery Guichard featuring a portrayal of the slain body of Michael Brown has sparked controversy on social media.
The exhibit, titled “Confronting Truths: Wake Up!,” is the solo debut of New Orleans based artist Ti-Rock Moore who claims that her purpose for the piece is to combat white privilege and shine the light of racial disparities.
The artist, Ti-Rock Moore, a white woman from New Orleans, says the images represent white privilege in America and how it negatively affects the black community now and has for generations. She shows a black Statue of Liberty, a noose dangling from a neon sign and a life size portrayal of Michael Brown as he laid in the streets of Ferguson for hours after he was shot by a white officer almost one year ago.
Moore says she believes art can be healing. She would like to see the healing begin. Keeping Michael Brown’s memory alive, Moore claims, is part of that process.
The owner of Gallery Guichard, Andre Guichard, calls the exhibit “courageous” and hopes it sparks dialogue and breaks down barriers. He hopes “it creates something positive,” he says, “from incredibly negative images.”
Many people took to Twitter to express their anger over the exhibit:
https://twitter.com/JIXXA/status/620598203126145024
https://twitter.com/CaptainMikemike/status/620462266962415617
https://twitter.com/richardselby/status/620488841204400128
https://twitter.com/Gloretired/status/620419879326326784
https://twitter.com/SeanRMoorhead/status/620412260578529281
The exhibit is free and runs through August 10th.