Lynda Jarman : We Seek Justice

June 6 - July 15, 2005

We Seek Justice deals with the concept of otherness, in a not-so-subtle, yet poignant look at the group divisions that mark our time. In our current global state of political and ideological tensions, it seems as though our cultural awareness is teeming with bi-partisan beliefs which reinforce the lines that divide insiders from outsiders. In Jarman’s video We Seek Justice, the disembodied mouth of a female separates “us” from “them” by presenting a positive perception of “us” contrasted with a similar trait in negative terms to describe “them.” As the video progresses, the comparisons escalate from social taunts to vehement militancy. As described by Jarman, “Our own group beliefs and perceptions are continually repeated and reinforced. As they become imprinted on us, these insular group perspectives can divide social groups into hostile, opposing camps.” This video projection not only serves to remind viewers of these often arbitrary yet stagnant cultural prejudices, it challenges viewers to confront the underlying stereotypes that perpetuate these social barriers.