"They Were Here + They Mattered"
Composed on a typewriter, the sound of the keys striking the paper over and over echoed through the room as the sound of gunfire echoes through the city. This is the environmental trauma that many live with day to day in our city. Dedicated to those whose lives were lost and a reminder that they should not be forgotten.
A father whose son was lost 25 years ago to gun violence, whose career was working with same at-risk youth responsible. A 28 year-old who had lost 29 family members and friends and works tirelessly to get the resources her community needs to change their world. Just two of the stories of those left behind and their choices to continue in life. (Heart sculpture by Violet Brusnahan.)
It is said that the intersection of art and activism is empathy. In 2016, there were 762 homicides in Chicago. Our hope was that people would see beyond the statistics to the individuals. To open our hearts to know that if we don't move from art to empathy to action, the humanity of us all is at at risk. (1045D is the Chicago police code for "Patient Dead.")