Mixed Media Collage No. 16
Four Days in 2020: September 18 | Third in a series of four | 2021 | Mixed media; cut paper, and oil, on BFK Rives 100% cotton paper | 22.5 x 30 inches
On September 18, 2020, United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died suddenly at the age of 87 on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Her death left an opening on our nation’s highest court, and a hole in the hearts of many liberals and women. After her death — with less than two months until the presidential election, President Donald Trump, along with Republican Senators, rushed through the new Supreme Court nomination, and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative judge. Ginsburg spent the majority of her legal career as an advocate for gender equality and women's rights, something – no doubt — Coney Barret has benefitted from.
Inside the missing image of Justice Ginsburg is a statement she dictated to her niece from her death bed.
“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
Unless otherwise noted, photographs are royalty-free or part of the public domain. The following photographs used in the collage were obtained through Creative Commons and were modified for artistic purposes. Reasonable attempts were made to attribute credit. Errors or omissions will be corrected if found.
Credits:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s official portrait, 2016
Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1977 cut from "File:RB Ginsburg 1977 ©Lynn Gilbert.jpg" by Lynn Gilbert is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 © Lynn Gilbert, 1977
The exterior of the US Supreme Court cut from "Supreme Court" by Mark Fischer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The Supreme Court as composed October 6, 2018, to September 18, 2020. Front row, left to right: Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. Back row: Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.
Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States
ERA banner cut from "Pass the Equal Rights Amendment NOW! Bettye Lane, photograph ©1979. “First proposed in 1923 by suffragists in the National Woman’s Party, the Equal Rights Amendment provides for the legal equality of the sexes in the United States. It was passed" by veritatem is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Protest for Women’s rights, 1970 was cut from "Demonstration for women’s rights: 1970 # 2" by Washington Area Spark is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Roe v Wade reference cut from "Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe) and her lawyer Gloria Allred on the steps of the Supreme Court, 1989" by Lorie Shaull is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Interior of the Supreme Court Chambers https://calendar.gwu.edu/previewing-supreme-courts-october-term-2019 - SCOTUS19.jpg
Artwork © Erika Brask, 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this artwork may be reproduced or used in any form, or through any means — graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, downloading, information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission from the artist.