After Pan Am 103 was brought down in Lockerbie,
a grieving mother creates an astonishing work of art.
Suse Lowenstein lost her son Alex in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. In an effort to come to terms with her grief, Suse turned to her art. She began to sculpt herself naked, frozen in the position she fell into upon hearing the news of her son’s death. Creating the sculpture brought her solace, and when Suse posted about her project in the Pan Am Victims’ Family Newsletter, inviting others to participate, 75 women responded.
Suse spent fifteen years completing the monumental sculpture she titled Dark Elegy, a memorial to the victims of the brutal attack that altered American history. In her new documentary Seat 20D, director Jill Campbell explores how art cradled a mother's soul and touches all who view it.
"How does a mother ever get over the murder of a child? By sharing Suse Lowenstein’s journey through grief via her fifteen-year dedication to the creation of her prolific sculpture garden 'Dark Elegy,' my goal was to create an honest portrait of the grieving process and the power of art to heal and connect us all." - Filmmaker Jill Campbell
"Moving and powerful. Filmmaker Jill Campbell explores how art can give tangible context to our grief and how it can help those left behind. It also gives us a glimpse into how we view grief and the grieving in our culture." - Darcy Staniforth, Cinema Sentries
