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In Memorium is a tribute to Theo Van Gogh, a Dutch independent filmmaker who was assassinated in Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist for producing a short film that was critical of the treatment of Muslim women. The unrepentant murderer was captured, tried, and imprisoned by Dutch authorities. The small canvas that protrudes from the large image is a frame from his film. The writing on the woman’s back is from the Koran, and was inscribed by her husband as punishment for not adhering to the tenants of Islam. Other references in the painting include the bombing of the English subways and buses, the security “baggage” the rest of the world must now carry, and the courage of the emergency personnel who ran up the stairs and into danger to save civilians in the Twin Towers. The painting also urges viewers to consider the key role Muslim women must play in the future of the world.

What makes it mixed media? The small canvas and red ladder protrude from the lower left quadrant of the canvas.