Carnegie Mellon University
August 15, 2018

A Memorial Art Exhibit About Race

By Michael Berger

If we need an indirect way of talking about black and white, maybe we can talk about red and yellow.”  Together they make orange - the safety color.

This was artist Michael Rakowitz referring to his art installation “A Color Removed” now at SPACES GALLERY in Cleveland and reviewed on July 29 in the New York Times.

The art installation is a tribute to Tamir Rice, the 12 year old boy who was playing with a pellet gun when he was shot and killed by a policeman in Cleveland.  “Indistinguishable from a real fire arm” because it was lacking an orange safety cap was the police department rationale.

“We are living in spaces where color is removed every day with shootings of young black men,” says Professor Rakowitz who lives and teaches in Chicago.

I was so emotionally overwhelmed by the vision of this 12 year old boy confronted by a policeman with a real gun that Sherle and I and Tanya, her nurse, vowed to make a pilgrimage to Cleveland to honor Tamir’s life and it’s meaning.

Those interested in joining us should be sure to read the New York Times review for a deeper understanding. You can click here to read the article.

Osher folks who wish to join us for this 1 day round trip to SPACES GALLERY in Cleveland on September 1, 2018, please contact me, Michael Berger at Michael Berger Gallery 412-431-5140, or e-mail me at mbergerart@aol.com.  Michael Berger Gallery will underwrite the cost of bus transportation.  Be sure to pack a lunch and bring an orange memorial token to leave at the site as a symbolic recognition of the tragedy of Tamir’s death.

By the way, I mentioned our forthcoming pilgrimage to Professor Lloyd Stires last week after class (Social Psychology Goes To The Movies.)  Lloyd offered to underwrite ½ the cost of the bus himself; however, the Gallery declined his generous and heartfelt offer. What a terrific guy!