by Mircy Coca Soriano
Cleota Proctor Wilbekin’s The Unbalanced Scales of Justice (2012) is a visually striking and deeply symbolic work that offers a powerful critique of the American justice system. The piece addresses racial injustice but also, for me, evokes labor inequality as well.
From the moment I saw it at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery, I was drawn in — compelled to step closer and take in its intricate details. At the center of the quilt is the image of an unbalanced scale, a deliberate distortion of the traditional symbol of impartial justice. Surrounding the scale, Wilbekin has sewn hundreds of buttons, each carrying meaning: antique white buttons symbolize tears, red buttons represent blood and fear, and black buttons stand for strength and resilience.
Human figures encircle the scale, evoking a sense of collective action — reminiscent of a union picket line or a community coming together to demand justice. Through this imagery, Wilbekin highlights how far the United States still has to go to achieve true justice for all.
For me, the unbalanced scale also symbolizes the systemic inequality between workers and employers, especially marginalized workers confronting powerful institutions. Throughout American history — particularly in the 20th century — unions emerged to challenge these imbalances, organizing collective resistance to demand fair wages, protections, and dignity. Wilbekin’s quilt becomes a metaphor not only for racial bias, but also for economic exploitation — a call for justice in all its forms.
LHF intern Mircy Coca Soriano is a junior at Union College in Schenectady, NY. The Unbalanced Scales of Justice is part of the Renwick’s exhibit We Gather at the Edge: Contemporary Quilts by Black Women Artists.
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