Remembering in the Midst
In the darkest days of the pandemic the scale and pace of the loss of life overwhelmed us (the creators of the COVID-19 Impact Project, John Henry Thompson and Shindy Johnson). We were deeply pained to think of all of our fellow New Yorkers – many dying alone and scared. Our hearts ached for the families of the deceased whose traditional community-centered ways of mourning and grieving were suspended. We tried to comprehend the compounded trauma of loved ones left behind to grieve in an environment where a hug was a fearsome thing.
“We have been fighting this pandemic for far too long, but we have to resist becoming numb to the sorrow. Because in order to heal, we must remember.”
President Joe Biden
Memorial Ticker Installation JHT NYU ITP
How can a public memorial be presented for the many who have died from the COVID-19 pandemic?
We have not become numb to the sheer scale of pandemic death in the USA, so we strive to keep the daily numbers in the public consciousness. We hope to communicate the ongoing nature of the pandemic and to let grieving families know that they and their loved ones are not forgotten.
The COVID-19 Memorial Ticker explores the concept of “Remembering in the Midst” as a public facing installation in the lobby of New York University’s Brooklyn campus at the historical 370 Jay Street building.
- Total COVID-19 deaths per day in the USA are displayed as simple squares.
- The death count for yesterday is shown along with the count of each preceding day, back to the beginning of the pandemic – February 2020.
There is a 10 second pause as each day is displayed for a few moments of silence for the deceased.
The ticker can be adapted for hyperlocal statistics and commemoration.
Credit: https://epvisual.com/ for initial support.
Video of Memorial Ticker Concept
HOFFMEISTER Concerto No. 1 in D Major for Viola Cadenza
Memorial Corner at NYU ITP
We envision this becoming part of a large scale public memorial installation themed “Remembering in the Midst“.
We invite artists and technologists to contribute to the vision, and work with us to build out a meaningful public installation.
COVID-19 Impact Project 