"I don't recall."

Series produced by Michelle Boyd

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A three-part sound collage that memorializes African American men and women who were tortured by Chicago Police officers in the 1970s and 1980s.

Between 1972 and 1991 over 100 black men and women from Chicago were tortured by the city's police force. Not only were some of them convicted and sent to death row on the basis of coerced confessions, but elected officials and criminal justice workers at the state and local level failed to pursue the allegations of torture despite compelling evidence.

"I don't recall." is a three-part sound collage that explores multiple aspects of state violence. "Act" examines the experience of torture itself; "Denial" focuses on public officials's refusal to acknowledge its occurrence; and "Aftermath" considers the long-term impact of the experience on the torture survivors.

This piece is part of the "Opening the Black Box: The Charge is Torture" exhibit presented by the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials (CTJM) project at the Sullivan Galleries at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. "Opening the Black Box" presents proposals and artwork that memorializes documented cases of torture by Chicago police officers, honors the torture survivors, their family members, and the affected communities, and amplifies the voices calling for justice. Hide full description

Between 1972 and 1991 over 100 black men and women from Chicago were tortured by the city's police force. Not only were some of them convicted and sent to death row on the basis of coerced confessions, but elected officials and criminal justice workers at the state and local level failed to pursue the allegations of torture despite compelling evidence. "I don't recall." is a three-part sound collage that explores multiple aspects of state violence. "Act" examines the experience of torture itself; "Denial" focuses on public officials's refusal to acknowledge its occurrence; and "Aftermath" considers the long-term impact of the experience on the torture survivors. This piece is part of the "Opening the Black Box: The Charge is Torture" exhibit presented by the Chicago Torture Justice... Show full description


3 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Piece image
The first of a three-part sound collage that memorializes African American men and women who were tortured by Chicago Police officers in the 1970s ...

  • Added: Feb 18, 2015
  • Length: 01:45
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The second of a three-part sound collage that memorializes African American men and women who were tortured by Chicago Police officers in the 1970s...

  • Added: Nov 28, 2012
  • Length: 01:05
Piece image
The final piece in a three-part sound collage that memorializes African American men and women who were tortured by Chicago Police officers in the ...

  • Added: Nov 28, 2012
  • Length: 01:00