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Jon Henry's 'Stranger Fruit' opens in Seoul; addresses racial discrimination
- February 03, 2021
Jon Henry's 'Stranger Fruit' opens in Seoul;
addresses racial discrimination
Updated: 2021-01-29 04:12:09 KST
Walk into this art gallery in the back streets of Seoul, and the first thing you'll see is a picture of an African-American woman holding her child.
Like the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, she's posed in the classical style of a pieta. The project by artist Jon Henry is called "Stranger Fruit," and it takes on motifs of suffering.
"Mary holding the dead body of Christ felt that that was appropriate. These men.. it's not just a man.. it's a man or a woman across the country… lost for no reasons."
Jon Henry began the project in 2014 in response to the killing of African Americans by police, and he focuses mainly on black mothers who fear that their children could be the next victims.
"After the media coverage is gone, after the trials are over,… after the protestors are all gone home, we are still left with mothers who lost their child for absolutely no reason and nothing is done about it."
The project has already been displayed at several galleries in the U.S., mostly in New York, but he did not stop there.
For the first time, he decided to bring this message about "what's really going on" in America to another country.
"Through these 13 pictures displayed at the gallery, the organizer has tried to make what is happening in the States more relatable, and personal, to people in Korea."
"Although it's about racial issues in the U.S., we decided to host this exhibition out of empathy. There's a lot of conflict nowadays because of differences in appearance, so I hope this gives people a chance to think about human rights when it comes to the underprivileged."
The photos will be on display until February 9th.
One visitor said it was much more than she had anticipated.
"My friend recommended that I come here. The most memorable thing was what the artist said in an interview about a country where mothers can't even protect their children."
But the artist is still hoping that everyone who comes will understand and that the message will go beyond borders.
"This is a mother-son connection. Everyone has a mother. What would it have felt like for a mother to lose her child for absolutely nothing? You know that transcends race,… so anyone should be able to understand the power of that message."
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.
Like the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, she's posed in the classical style of a pieta. The project by artist Jon Henry is called "Stranger Fruit," and it takes on motifs of suffering.
"Mary holding the dead body of Christ felt that that was appropriate. These men.. it's not just a man.. it's a man or a woman across the country… lost for no reasons."
Jon Henry began the project in 2014 in response to the killing of African Americans by police, and he focuses mainly on black mothers who fear that their children could be the next victims.
"After the media coverage is gone, after the trials are over,… after the protestors are all gone home, we are still left with mothers who lost their child for absolutely no reason and nothing is done about it."
The project has already been displayed at several galleries in the U.S., mostly in New York, but he did not stop there.
For the first time, he decided to bring this message about "what's really going on" in America to another country.
"Through these 13 pictures displayed at the gallery, the organizer has tried to make what is happening in the States more relatable, and personal, to people in Korea."
"Although it's about racial issues in the U.S., we decided to host this exhibition out of empathy. There's a lot of conflict nowadays because of differences in appearance, so I hope this gives people a chance to think about human rights when it comes to the underprivileged."
The photos will be on display until February 9th.
One visitor said it was much more than she had anticipated.
"My friend recommended that I come here. The most memorable thing was what the artist said in an interview about a country where mothers can't even protect their children."
But the artist is still hoping that everyone who comes will understand and that the message will go beyond borders.
"This is a mother-son connection. Everyone has a mother. What would it have felt like for a mother to lose her child for absolutely nothing? You know that transcends race,… so anyone should be able to understand the power of that message."
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.
Reporter : peterwjchoi@arirang.com
