War Crimes, 46"(L) x 50"(W), 2005

Heat transfers of photos from the current conflict are framed in 9 traditional log cabin blocks, embroidery, applique and stitching on silk, satin, brocade, and velvet.  The borders are embroidered with text from the US Constitution, Geneva Convention, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Nuremberg Charter.

I used the traditional log cabin quilt block as an entry invitation to the viewer. Nestled in the green log cabins are disturbing images from the Iraq War. The hooded torture victim connected to wires and the banned photographs of our own soldier's coffins on their airplane ride home; the seat of our government - the US Capitol (again, the photo of my 8th grade class), the classic My Lai massacre photo, a torture photo from Abu Ghraib, and an old map of Vietnam. The images are in juxtaposition to the embroidery in the border - torture references found in the US Constitution, Geneva Convention, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Nuremberg Charter. These documents were written presumably to follow the adage NEVER AGAIN. But our country seems to have forgotten its roots, or perhaps they were always just lip service. Having lived in Zaire, I have little patience for the hypocracy.
Link to text embroidery