Art for Change | The IMAC Gallery

Frank Emmert

Art for Change

Frank Emmert: "America's Halls of Shame"

Concrete, Oil and Wire Mesh on Canvas, 2017
24 x 36 in = 61 x 91 cm, US$1,750
The black letters represent the ten most notorious prisons in America. Around the frame is written “With 2.2 millions in 4575 facilities, the US has by far the largest prison population in the world, in absolute numbers and per capita of the population. African-Americans commit 26% of crimes but constitute 38% of prisoners. There are more African-American males in prison than in college. The US also has the highest rate of incarcerated minors and, at 77%, the highest recidivism rate in the world.”
The orange letters should be self-explanatory.

Frank Emmert: "Humanity's Wall of Shame"

The piece lists the ten greatest mass murderers of all times. Chairman Mao tops the charts, being responsible for the death of some 70 million people without a major war, mostly by ideologically induced famines. He famously said that he would be willing to sacrifice half of the entire population of China - even then more than 300 million people - in the interest of Communist ideology. As his biographers have shown, he was not quite so willing to sacrifice personal comforts and pleasures. In spite of this, he is still - or again - revered by many in China and many die hard Communists elsewhere. See whether you can identify all ten of the worst mass murderers of all times and guess how many were acutally held accountable for their crimes!
The dimensions of the mixed media piece are approximately 62" x 68" or 157 x 172 cm.
The piece is currently still at the Kuaba Gallery in Indianapolis and can be seen there by request.

THE IMAC GALLERY