Good to the Bone
“All That Remains”
at PennWest Edinboro
An Art Review
Usually art shows at universities feature fine art creations either from their enrolled students or traveling exhibits.
However, PennWest Edinboro’s current display, “All That Remains,” showcases the work of noted forensic artists with imagery from several high-profile cases.
What’s “forensics?”
Google says forensics is “scientific tests or techniques used in connection with the detection of crime.”
According to the exhibit’s press release, “forensic artists collaborate across a range of disciplines, including fine art, anthropology, law enforcement, communications, criminal justice, cultural studies, history, psychology, science and sociology.”
The exhibit was curated by PennWest faculty member Michelle Vitali, a sought-after forensic artist. Vitali was called in when a human skull was found in Erie’s Frontier Park in 2019. She produced a series of images to identify the person and has contributed her skills to many other cases.
Remember the (in)famous 2003 Erie Pizza Bomber case?
Courtroom drawings of the accused, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, and a synopsis of this world-famous crime are at the show.
Forensic examples at the exhibit also include facial reconstructions of a Civil War soldier and a skull that was uncovered, in of all places, the Erie Art Museum.
The show contains several dioramas of crimes scenes, however, a press release stresses that “no actual human remains will be included in the show. All depictions of human remains are reconstructions.”
Beyond the visual, there’s a notebook collection of poems by several world-recognized authors. True to the theme of the show, every poem is about death or dying.
Truly a unique art show.
All that remains is for you to see it.
All That Remains continues through October 16 at the new Bruce Gallery at Baron-Forness Library, PennWest Edinboro. For more information, visit pennwest.edu/news/all-that-remains.
Heads up: Non-university vehicles are ticketed Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. During that time, visitors must take their driver’s license and vehicle registration to the Campus Police, 911 Scotland Rd., prior to parking or call Campus Police at 814-732-2921.
***G. Greenleaf
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