Artist Statement

The Act of Correlation

Savannah Lepow

The Act of Correlation was made on a 20x24 canvas, created with acrylic paint, using paint brushes with only up and down motions. The background has white and black vertical strokes to create a dramatic effect. It also has purple and gold accents to make the scale stand out from the monochrome background. This represents what the world looks like with no equality and justice. Black and white; no color. But, with the scale on the painting, it looks like equality, colorful and free. I chose to paint this equality and justice scale because of all the past problems with sexism and racism. So, the scale is tipped to show what equality was like before it was treated rightfully and poorly. 

When I was researching injustice, I found that two males got up into prison for crimes they did not commit, Malcolm Alexandra and Fredrick Clay. Alexandra was accused of rape, and Clay was charged with murder. For decades, these two men were struck behind bars for something neither of them deserved. These two men were also both of color; therefore, any have affected why they got put into prison. This story is one of many examples of why people should not be punished without clearly proven guilt and how injustice is still a significant problem today.

My painting aimed to bring awareness to essential equality topics. The big idea of The Act of Correlation is to educate the people looking at my painting to see what compatibility and justice looks like. I chose this right to research because, with all of the racist things that have gone on and, in most places, are still going on. All of the racial discrimination happening to people shouldn’t be happening to people. Because no one deserves things like that.