The main theme of the series “State of Shame” is in fact the presumption of innocence. Essentially a documentary project, the series presents an archive of photographs of people who are yet to be proven guilty. Shame is a universal category, illustrated here by figures captured by courtroom paparazzi. To what extent is the protection of privacy an issue? In many countries, the privacy of the accused is already protected by law. Urbonaité, however, tackles these issues in a more abstract manner. In an elegant publication designed by the artist, all the photographs are reduced to black-and-white. In this way the artist filters away a concrete situation, creating an atlas of types. Forms of masking and varieties of emotions overlap on the thin paper, merging together into strangely sculptural forms. It is these forms that Urbonaité focuses on in the large-format color prints. While they maintain their enigma, by their sheer physical presence they simultaneously attain an iconic character.
