Quiltmaker’s statement:
I was interested in making a second quilt because I wanted it to be more informative and less pleasant to view. Not only did I want to memorialize the immigrants who had died, I wanted the quilt to represent more of the brutality of their deaths. I used a linocut image of a skull to accompany each victims information. In addition to the names of the deceased, I included the reason for their death, such as hypothermia or gunshot. I incorporated symbols when possible, to help create a visual idea of the circumstance. For example, since so many died of exposure I overlaid a large sun image over the skulls. I also used a linocut image of a gun and added a “noose” to the skull representing a migrant who died from being hung. The noose was a rope formation that I found attached to pair of jeans. (It was probably used to hold a key or knife, but it seemed to be appropriate as a symbol.)
My first quilt was created more out of respect and sympathy for the victims and their families. The second quilt is more purposeful, perhaps less “creative”, and even kind of monotonous. But, it represents the reality of a very sad situation. (Jennifer Eschedor)