Still Strange & Bitter - Tina Ybarra (South Gate, CA)

Still Strange & Bitter Tina Ybarra (South Gate, CA) Mixed Media, 18” W x 24” H   Artwork: Still Strange & Bitter draws a connection between the murder of Emmett Till in the 1950s and the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin. Martin--represented by a gray hoodie--hangs amid ghostly images of ‘strange fruit’ lynched from a Florida orange tree whose roots thread through images of Emmett Till. Many of the “oranges” are numbered with the death dates of unarmed black men killed by authorities. This piece is greatly influenced by Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit". Artist Statement: Although I think of my art as extremely personal, I believe the themes are somewhat universal. The subject matter will likely include inequalities pertaining to gender or social status; the state of education; the failings of organized religion, or faith and spirituality versus religion; or any current event that sparks an idea. I think art should change the world. With each