Since the basis of this project is historical facts, it would be classified as cultural; although the “solutions” suggested in the illustrations are completely fictitious.
Despite the fact that revisiting unsolved crimes may be unsettling, perhaps even disturbing to the victims or the families of the deceased, the concept of the project is to let the audience be aware that there are criminals out there who commit the crimes drawn in these illustrations; they are unidentified, stalking out there amongst us, and the most important of all, had not been through the punishment they deserve. If this project could be served as a reminder, then it would be a successful one and I will be gracious.
Due to the violent nature of several crimes, especially murder cases, this project is planned mostly for adults. However, the illustrations do not feature any gruesome features, thus they could be seen by audience of all ages.
All images are drawn with a mixed media of gouache, acrylic, watercolor, ink, and digital.
Black Dahlia (January 15, 1947: California, United States)
A female victim, Elizabeth Short, was murdered and found mutilated in a park. The name of the case came from the then-current movie the Blue Dahlia. Just like Sun Wukong (the Monkey King from a classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West), Elizabeth Short pulls her hair and blows on it to create identical clones of herself and pound the killer onto the ground. (For a better known example, Sun Wukong could be substituted to Agent Smith from the Matrix series or the suited businessman from Magritte's Golconda)
D. B. Cooper Case (November 24, 1971: Washington, United States)
Alias of a airplane hijacker who received US$200,000 in ransom, D. B. Cooper parachuted from the plane and was never confirmed if he is dead or alive. The FBI is presuming that he is dead, however no evidence directly linking to his death are established. This case remains as the only unsolved U.S. aircraft hijacking. As soon as Cooper jumps off from his flight and attempts to pull the parachute, he notices that the airforce fighters are spreading a wide net underneath and is caught into it.
Boston Strangler (June 14, 1962 ~ January 4, 1964: Boston, United States)
Name of the murderer(s) in the early 1960s, the Boston Strangler is a case that was once considered as solved, but recently gaining much more doubts and still an ongoing case. A man named Albert DeSalvo confessed that he is the killer, but there was no physical evidence to prove this nor he was proven to have sufficient motives. DeSalvo was found dead in the infirmary of the prison he was serving his life sentence.
A dark figure from behind a building corner is holding rope in his hand, ready to strangle the slender female walking towards him - unaware of a giant, muscular man who is over six feet high walking right beside her.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Art Theft (March 18, 1990: Boston, United States)
Thirteen works of art valued at over $500 million, including The Concert, one of Johannes Vermeer's thirty-five known paintings, and three works by Rembrandt van Rijn, including his only seascape, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, had been stolen by two thieves disguised as police officers. The crime remains unsolved.
Drawn from the back of the two thieves disguised as officers. black-and-white striped prisoner uniform can be seen underneath their police uniform; and a plainclothes policeman at the front of the museum is showing them his "real" badge.
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales (August 31, 1996: Paris, France)
Result of injuries sustained in a carwreck, Diana, Princess of Wales died in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. The initial French investigation found that it was an accident, however conspiracy theories had been stirring up suggesting that it might be a false flag operation by either the British, French, or the United States government. The Paris metropolitan poilce is blocking the tunnel and extending a breathalyzer to the driver, whose nose is bright red and is showing apparent signs of being drunk. Princess Diana is sitting at the back seat of the car.