Andy Warhol's Electric Chairs:
Reflecting on Capital Punishment in America
This exhibition presented Warhol's Electric Chair series of paintings and prints together with diverse audio and written points of view as a catalyst to generate dialogue around the various sides of the capital punishment debate. Presented in collaboration with Amnesty International USA's Human Rights Education Program and Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (MARO), the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Duquesne University School of Law, The Center for Victims of Violent Crime and The Public Conversations Project. The museum gratefully acknowledges these organizations, the Electric Chair community advisory committee and all the individuals who have given their time to the project. Supported in part by The Animating Democracy Initiative, a project of Americans for the Arts, funded by The Ford Foundation.
Exhibition Views:
Read the Overview Text >
View the Installation
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View the Images >
Context:
Learn about the history of the electric chair together with a legal and socio-cultural overview of capital punishment in America.
A Chronicle of Capital Punishment >
Capital Punishment: A History of America's Electric Chair >
Capital Punishment: A Socio-Cultural Overview >
Audio Points of View:
Listen to different perspectives on the death penalty from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell to victims' family members as well as diverse cultural commentators. Each audio track is about 10 minutes long and features four different points of view of approximately 3 minutes in length.
Listen to track 1
Bruce Ledewitz, Professor of Law, Duquesne University, School of Law 2:05
Amy Mokricky, family of murder victim, Center for Victims of Violent Crimes 2:20
Susan Nelson, Professor of Religion, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 3:53
Governor Ed Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania 2:57
Listen to track 2
Steffi Domike, Artist / Professor of Art, Chatham College 2:45
Denis Logan, Homicide Detective, Pittsburgh Police Force 2:35
Valerie Dixon, family of murder victim, Center for Victims of Violent Crimes 2:19
Matthew Mangino, District Attorney of Lawrence County 4:23
Listen to track 3
Tom Sokolowski, Director, The Andy Warhol Museum 3:27
Chris Ivy, Artist / Videographer 2:05
Chris Potter, Managing Editor, Pittsburgh City Paper 2:48
Aisha White, Phd candidate, University of Pittsburgh 3:05
Listen to track 4
Dave Lutz, Presbytarian Minister / spiritual advisor to death row inmate 3:30
John Elash, Criminal Defense Attorney 2:25
Gwen Elliot, retired Commander, Pittsburgh Police Force 2:50
Welsh White, Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh School of Law 2:31
Visitor Responses:
View a selection of visitor responses to the exhibition.
View the cards >
Zine Project:
During the exhibition on the last weekend of every month visitors participated in a collective 'zine' making project responding to the exhibition and issues of capitial punishment with museum's Artist/Educators and a guest artist.
See a selection of the zine issues >
Andy Warhol, photo Greg Gorman, 1983
