Still Strange & Bitter
Tina Ybarra (South Gate, CA)
Mixed Media, 18” W x 24” H
Artwork:
Still Strange & Bitter draws a connection between the murder of Emmett Till in the 1950s and the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin. Martin--represented by a gray hoodie--hangs amid ghostly images of ‘strange fruit’ lynched from a Florida orange tree whose roots thread through images of Emmett Till. Many of the “oranges” are numbered with the death dates of unarmed black men killed by authorities. This piece is greatly influenced by Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit".
Artist Statement:
Although I think of my art as extremely personal, I believe the themes are somewhat universal. The subject matter will likely include inequalities pertaining to gender or social status; the state of education; the failings of organized religion, or faith and spirituality versus religion; or any current event that sparks an idea.
I think art should change the world. With each new canvas or page, I endeavor to change my small part of the world for the better. With each new idea or concept, I hope to send an ever-increasing ripple effect that could someday wash away the recurring atrocities and injustice that tend to plague humankind.
I am often inspired by things I see on TV, the internet, or hear on the radio. However, more often than not, my own reality becomes the subject of my work--expelling my darkest fears, revealing pent-up frustrations, or releasing my deepest hopes.