Lynching in America

September 13, 2004, South Bay Area artist Renee M Billingslea brings to Cal State San Marcos her installation Lynching in America .

On a shelf sits an assortment of rusty canning jars, filled with disturbing images, body parts, teeth and ashes. All objects representing souvenirs collected by people who attend the thousand lynchings of black men, women and children in the United States.

On another wall hangs an old looking quilt. Hand sewn squares of denim, flannel, velvet and cotton prints weave together colors of our country. In the squares the artist has sewn in appropriated images of actual lynching showing not only the reality of these violent acts, but also who attended.

Thoughtfully arranged on the gallery walls are hundreds of white dress shirts burned and stained each with a hand-embroidered nametag, honoring the lost victims.

Billingslea created the project after researching the topic of racial violence and lynching for her Masters of Fine Art Degree at San Jose State University. She has carefully created a visual environment for all to enter, learn and contemplate. Billingslea currently teaches photography at Santa Clara University.

 

Renee Billingslea's September 13, 2004 lecture on Lynching in America. The lecture is approximately 20 minutes long (sound quality best with headphones).

This Library guide was created to assist student research on race in America as it relates to the current installation Lynching in America.

Lynching in America is the inaugural exhibit of the Context: Library Series.
For more information regarding Context, contact Melanie Chu