The Art of Crime

Within the world of crime, there is something we take for granted far too often. It’s something that helps catch the bad guys, and clear the good guys. It shocks and astounds us, and helps us put things in perspective. It’s the photograph, and in crime photography, a thousand words is never enough.

The Museum of Contemporary Photography is currently showing an exhibition all on crime photography, called “Crime Unseen”. The show has photographs by eight different artists, all focused under the subject of retelling historic crimes in a manner to give further contemplation. The pictures force you to think about crime in different layers, underneath the pure knowledge that they happened. They make you think about the people behind the crimes, and the victims left in the wake. Some pictures are haunting, complete with remnants of blood spatter, to the semi-surreal evidence photos by Richard Barnes of a cabin that was inhabited by a man who sent bombs across the country. “Crime Unseen” is a new look into the different crimes of America, and the aftermath of their actions.

Angela Strassheim - Evidence #11

The most evocative set of photographs is the installation by Angela Strassheim. Strassheim, a former field agent for the Miami Forensic Imaging Bureau, uses a chemical spray called “Blue Star” to make the remnants of blood spatters show up in rooms where violence has occurred at some point in the past. At first, the spatters are this odd source of light coming from the wall or floor. But then when it finally clicks in your head that it’s not emitting light whatsoever, and really is in odd puddled and splashed patterns, your eyes get wide, and you almost have to look away. The amount of blood is slightly varied, but your mind can still put together horrors upon horrors almost instantly. Strassheim takes special care to contrast color shots of the exterior of the homes to the black and white interiors, showing a true distinction to the serenity and normality of the house to the stark inside. It’s an eerie look into the past, but an enjoyable one.

By examining the evidence, we can also see more in detail the cause and effect of crimes. Richard Barnes takes this to a new level, by showing pictures of a cabin. When you’re first looking at the piece, it’s a little disorienting. What is a cabin doing amongst all of this legality and despair? The cabin was once inhabited by Ted Kaczynski, aka The Unabomber, a man who sent handmade untraceable bombs to various places around the country. The cabin was sent to a storage facility in order to be processed and used for evidence, but was never used in court. Barnes’ pictures take a clinical approach to the structure. Such as in “Unabomber 01”, where the cabin is place in a warehouse setting, it almost looks as if the piece is sitting and waiting for an art exhibition itself. There are no personal details or touches to the structure, it just looms over the space, despite not filling up even a portion of the room.

Richard Barnes - Unabomber 01

Many of the other artists showcase work with crimes around Chicago, such as Krista Wortendyke’s  “Killing Season: Chicago”, which has a photograph from every homicide that occurred in Chicago over a three month period starting in October 2010. Altogether, the show almost feels confrontational. We tend to shove these crimes under the rug, only caring when we hear some of the details on the news. “Crimes Unseen” forces to look directly at the evil side of humanity, and see it for what is really is: an uncomfortable look at our perceptions of humanity, security and control of our environment.

“Crime Unseen” is being shown in the Museum of Contemporary Photography at 600 S Michigan until January 15. The museum will be closed from December 23 - January 3 for the holidays, and is free to the public.