PORTFOLIO

MILLA TOUKKARI


Visual artist
and printmaker
based in Helsinki, Finland

Strange Fruit
From the series Acts of Silencing.

A Hand-bound and hand-pressed artists' book; letterpressing and blind pressing; ImagOn on Japanese paper.
C. 23X25X2cm, edition: 6.
Part of the the Artists' Book Collection of the Rikhardinkatu Library.

The footnote printed on the other side of the verse line …southern breeze folds out from between the pages, and reads:

It is said that the photograph, taken by Lawrence Beitler in 1930, stung Abel Meeropol into writing his poem ‘Strange Fruit’. The original photo depicts the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith that took place in Marion, Indiana.

A close-up can be viewed Here.

http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3731_muok_crop_p.jpg
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3749_muok_crop_hp_p.jpg
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3742_muok_crop_hp_p.jpg
Southern trees bear strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3753_muok_crop_hp_p.jpg
Black bodies swinging in the (southern breeze) / Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
The word Black has the footnote number 1 in the end of it. These...
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3743_muok_crop_2_hp_P.jpg
(Black bodies swinging in the) southern breeze / Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3741_muok_crop_3_hp_p.jpg
Pastoral scene of the gallant south / The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3744_muok_crop_2_hp_p.jpg
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh / Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3745_muok_crop_2_hp_p.jpg
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck / For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3747_muok_crop_hp_p.jpg
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop / Here is a strange and bitter crop.
http://www.millatoukkari.com/files/gimgs/th-34_IMG_3738_muok_crop_hp_p.jpg