The Saints
Print
1992 (made)
1992 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
Resembling the form and style of a film poster, this work by Lesley Roberts offers a damning critique on the racist behaviour of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the year in which four LAPD staff were acquitted of beating the black motorist Rodney King. The acquittal sparked fierce rioting, particularly amongst the predominantly black neighbourhoods of south-central Los Angeles.
Roberts presents the four accused police officers - Laurence Powell, Stacey Koon, Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno - as the ‘stars’ of a film titled ‘The Saints’. The LAPD ‘would be the perfect criminals if they weren’t the perfect cops’. Other information highlights the racially-sensitive nature of the trial: the film is based on an original idea by ‘White Supremacist’ and special guest stars include ‘Ku Klux Klan’.
The four acquitted police officers faced a second trial a year later, on federal charges of violating Rodney King's civil rights. Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell were found guilty: each served two years in jail. Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno were cleared. Rodney King won $3.8m damages from the City of Los Angeles.
Roberts presents the four accused police officers - Laurence Powell, Stacey Koon, Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno - as the ‘stars’ of a film titled ‘The Saints’. The LAPD ‘would be the perfect criminals if they weren’t the perfect cops’. Other information highlights the racially-sensitive nature of the trial: the film is based on an original idea by ‘White Supremacist’ and special guest stars include ‘Ku Klux Klan’.
The four acquitted police officers faced a second trial a year later, on federal charges of violating Rodney King's civil rights. Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell were found guilty: each served two years in jail. Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno were cleared. Rodney King won $3.8m damages from the City of Los Angeles.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Saints (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Cibachrome print |
| Brief description | Colour cibachrome print, 'The Saints', Lesley Roberts, 1992 |
| Physical description | Colour cibachrome print of digital image mounted on card. In the style of a film poster |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Text on poster:
'THEODORE BRISENO / LAURENCE POWELL / STACEY KOON / TIMOTHY WIND / “YOU WON’T SEE A MORE STUNNING DEBUT FOR A LONG TIME” Bernard Goetz / “A MOST DELICIOUS COMEDY … ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS” Aryan Times / “TRY TO DISCOVER THE REAL VICTIMS IN THIS GRIPPING COURTROOM DRAMA…” LAR / “HOLLIDAY HAS TRULY CAUGHT THE TRUE CHARACTER OF THE L.A.P.D. … REAL MAN, FUCKING REAL” LAR / THE SAINTS 18 / THEY WOULD BE THE PERFECT CRIMINALS IF THEY WEREN’T THE PERFECT COPS / AMATEUR VIDEOS PRESENTS in association with KLAN ENTERTAINMENT a production of a GEORGE HOLLIDAY film Edited by THE LAWYERS Production designer LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT Producer SIMI VALLERY Executive producer BNP Based on the original idea by WHITE SUPREMACIST Screenplay by LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT Associated Producer DARYL GATES and MAYOR MAYWARD JACKSON Directed by GEORGE HOLLIDAY Music Score Composed by PUBLIC ENEMY, DE LA SOUL, JUNGLE BROTHERS, LIVING COLOUR and NWA, THEODORE BRISENO *LAURENCE POWELL *TIMOTHY WIND *STACEY KOON WITH *RODNEY KING featuring GEORGE BUSH, BILL CLINTON, JESSE JACKSON, SPIKE LEE, MALCOLM X, AL SHAMPTON with special guess stars KU KLUX KLAN / CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SHIT BY NWA / Original Soundtrack Available on “CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SHIT” Compact Disk / DOLBY STEREO / 1992 NEW LINE FUN FROLICS CINEMA CORP. © ALL RIGHTS PRESERVED' |
| Gallery label | [From leaflet] 'Some of the most violent race riots in recent American history took place in Los Angeles, also home of the Hollywood film industry, generator of profligate fantasy. In 'The Saints' Lesley Roberts (b.1970) used a computer to create an air of documentary reality, essential to a subject where the blurring of fact and fiction is a central issue.' |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Resembling the form and style of a film poster, this work by Lesley Roberts offers a damning critique on the racist behaviour of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the year in which four LAPD staff were acquitted of beating the black motorist Rodney King. The acquittal sparked fierce rioting, particularly amongst the predominantly black neighbourhoods of south-central Los Angeles. Roberts presents the four accused police officers - Laurence Powell, Stacey Koon, Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno - as the ‘stars’ of a film titled ‘The Saints’. The LAPD ‘would be the perfect criminals if they weren’t the perfect cops’. Other information highlights the racially-sensitive nature of the trial: the film is based on an original idea by ‘White Supremacist’ and special guest stars include ‘Ku Klux Klan’. The four acquitted police officers faced a second trial a year later, on federal charges of violating Rodney King's civil rights. Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell were found guilty: each served two years in jail. Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno were cleared. Rodney King won $3.8m damages from the City of Los Angeles. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.2763-1995 |
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| Record created | June 27, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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