Lacy and Labowitz In Mourning and In Rage

SUSANNE LACY AND LESLIE LABOWITZ’S IN MOURNING AND IN RAGE (1977) is a collaboration piece which recognized the struggle around rape. Stationed in front of the Los Angeles City Hall building, the piece drew much popularity and created much dialogue as it was an activist piece through the female perspective. Chadwick says “It brought women together to address the media’s sensationalized coverage of a series of murders and, more generally, the spread of violence against women in American cities” (p. 375). This piece was right in the heat of the feminist art movement and the rise of women challenging norms, media and societal construction.

In this picture of the event, in particular, we can recognize the nunnery style attire as a representation of virginity expectations. Being cloaked creates the representation of silence and faceless identity which creates a very important dialogue about the nature of rape. As they are wearing all black, onlookers can most certainly feel grief and sadness flowing from the activism. To strand in a straight line could represent an expectation of women to meet a certain standard while also portraying a united front against the attacks of women’s free nature in society (i.e. raper, expectations of bodily image, double standards revolving around image and expectations, etc.). Their hands hanging by their sides, being the only visible bare aspect of the women in this piece, simultaneously presents the concept of shadows and shells. We can look at these women as mourners or even embodiments of the women destroyed. Through the last, we can see the hands as only a symbol left within the shadow or shell that is left of the women. The hand typically an active part of the body one which administers control especially in the instance of sexuality. In the image their hands are limp at their sides, representing a passivity and inability to take control. This piece was powerful to behold I’m sure. And in evaluating it, just by looking into a detailed image, you can feel the rage, presented in the title, coming through the subtle, but screaming, exhibit of woman lined up here.