Reese Bowes
Erased, 2023
Digital artwork - live/self-modifying images with text.

As of October 15th, 2023, police have killed 1029 people in the United States of America. Thus far this year, there have only been thirteen days where police did not kill people in the U.S.. [Mapping Police Violence]

This piece is a dedication to those who’ve been erased as the result of police officers’ various incompetencies - whether it’s lack of proper de-escalation training, the length of time police officers receive core basic training (~22 weeks in the U.S., vs 21 months in Japan, or 2.5 years in Germany), or the lack of soft-skills understanding, to name a few. The limitations of understanding of these law enforcement officers has lead to the deaths of people just walking across the street or even to their own mailboxes. That is what is shown here. The faces of adults and children that have lost their lives in situations where they should not have.

This is not a video on a loop, this is an algorithmic piece of art that selects images randomly from a small sampling of the 12,215 names that exist in the Mapping Police Violence dataset, and dissolves those images - each is of a real person that existed.

Their names are displayed so that we never forget them.

** This piece is a follow on to IRRELEVANT, and was exhibited at Imperfecta Gallery for their grand opening in Oregon City, Oregon, 2023.


1 1 1 1 1

Richard Glass
( Male / White )
Jeffersonville, IN

Circumstances:
Police responded to calls multiple times throughout the day to the victim's residence in reports made by the victim and by his neighbors. In speaking with the victim they observed mental health concerns and that he had weapons in his residence. In the final calls the victim indicated thoughts of violence and the responding officers allege that the victim would not open the door or speak with them. Police outside then observed the victim holding a gun before they allege he shot at officers. They then shot and killed him.

1 1 1 1 1

Isidra Clara Castillo
( Female , Hispanic )
Amarillo, TX

Circumstances:
The victim was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped because the license plate did not match the vehicle. While police were talking to another passenger, he allegedly got out of the vehicle and pointed a gun at police. Officers shot and killed that passenger. The victim was also hit by police gunfire and was killed.

1 1 1 1 1

Billy Jaquan Smith
( Male , Black )
Fort Worth, TX

Circumstances:
Police were in the area and claim to have heard a gunshot and seen the victim pointing a gun at someone. Per body cam footage, the officer shot the victim multiple times before identifying himself, killing the victim.

1 1 1 1 1

John Vincent Dye
( Male , White )
Center Township, PA

Circumstances:
Police attempted a traffic stop on the victim who allegedly fled in his vehicle. Police used stop sticks and police cars to stop victim's car, whereupon one officer ran up to the victim's car. Claiming that the victim then began to reverse his car in a way that could have trapped the responding officer, police shot the victim, killing him.

1 1 1 1 1

Ana Lilia Ortega
( Female , Hispanic )
Clovis, CA

Circumstances:
The victim was walking her dog along the roadway when an off-duty officer in his personal vehicle hit the victim. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.