Peculiar Institutions
Peculiar Institutions serves to elaborate on the connection between the historical experiences of Black Americans and the present day social and psychological status that is attributed to the group. As a society we are urged to move pass certain aspects of the past by ignoring them, revising them, or minimizing their influence. This disconnect is the source of social tensions that are expressed often in our society to this day. Harmonious relationships are not built on secrets and misinformation. Rather, functional relationships require a sustained effort to understand the perspective of the Other.
This 88 page book takes a chronological journey through American history documenting the relationship between Black Americans and the "peculiar institutions' that contradict America's professed ideals. My research for this project is largely based on Dr. Joy Degruy's work with the theory of post traumatic slave syndrome, or the idea that social oppression can have lasting transgenerational effects.
The introductory sequence was created with a deck of novelty card which I scanned, altered, and arranged to create a silent narrative.
I originally created this image in Photoshop to convey the notion of continuity of experience. At some point in handling the file it was irreparably damaged, but it was a welcomed visual distortion.
By combining the image of the ships transporting brains, I intended to convey the notion that the captives were more than just trade goods.
Again, my design choices were meant to show continuity of experience while providing behind the scenes information on these historical events.
This image is relatively mild compared to other content within the book. It stood out to me because it shows that the psychological effects of this aspect of American history is not one sided.
I included a section on commercial art to capture the sentiment of past generations and how they would define and further stratify the social relationship between Blacks and Whites in America.
Thank You!
