In the 1960’s a woman was stabbed to death in front of an apartment building in Queens.  The crime was witnessed by tenants of the building, none of whom helped the woman.  It is this story that inspired Laurie Lipton to draw her triptych Watching.

Two days after hearing Laurie Lipton repeat this story in conjunction with her artwork, I read about a homeless man, in Queens, was stabbed to death trying to help a woman attacked by her male companion: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_dying_and_ignored . Surveillance cameras revealed at least seven people walked past the collapsed, bleeding man on the sidewalk without helping him.  It is this kind of apathy, and indifference that inspired Laurie Lipton’s exhibition Weapons of Mass Delusions at Grand Central Art Center. 

Grand Central Art Center will be exhibiting seventeen works of art by Lipton, as well as hosting the London-based artist as the next artist-in-residence.  On May 1, at 6:00 P.M. GCAC will hold a book signing for Lipton followed by the opening reception of her solo exhibit.  On May 8, Lipton will give a gallery talk about her work.  Here are some of Lipton’s thoughts about what inspired the works of art on display:

I was watching the Iraq war on CNN while eating my dinner. I chewed contentedly as peoples' homes and limbs were being blown apart. There was a commercial break about washing powder and new cars, then I was transported back to the bombing, the screaming women, the blood. The whole scenario suddenly struck me as obscene. How is this possible? I am comfortably eating a meal in my own home while watching horrible suffering. This is "normal" TV viewing. I am not even being put off my food. –Laurie Lipton

For more information about Weapons of Mass Delusions at GCAC visit: http://www.grandcentralartcenter.com/ArtGallery_gcartgallery.php

–Krystal