|
The
portraits in this installation have been drawn at the Melbourne
Magistrate's Court over a period of four months. The processes of the
Magistrates' Court can sometimes be surprisingly swift. An individual is
often before the court for only
a
brief period. The drawings show
not only the accused but also other people involved in the workings of the
court, including court officials, lawyers, witnesses, journalists, and
members of the public. The Magistrates' Court has been intentionally chosen
as the source of these portraits. As the lowest level of the court
hierarchy, it is not usually the arena for those accused of the major
crimes featured on the nightly news. It is the ordinary daily parade of court
traffic enduring the personal trauma of their ‘day in court’. |