I wanted to send this out because in my Digital Art class (I teach at Towson University) last night my students were impressive.

It is not that they aren't usually impressive, it is that I guess I sometimes forget that they are so interesting and capable.

I asked them if there was anything we could do as artists, communicators and designers about / with or in response to this Virginia Tech tragedy.

We talked about it for a while and someone suggested we come up with a list of bullet-points.
And then someone mentioned that we should stop calling them bullet-points.

So here is a list of responses and some tangible and real ideas:

• There should be a vietnam-memorial-type space or art piece at every school that commemorates the names of the dead in the community - if they die in war or by accident or in tragedy. Or maybe the name of anyone who has been part of the community and died.
  
  
• There needs to be a visual symbol, a small logo, or something, so that everyone can express their sadness by wearing it or displaying it.
  
  
• There was a long discussion about what it means to be so close to Baltimore, where so much death happens, and how oddly insulated we feel. One woman who lives in or is familiar with a bad part of town said, "The only reason you are shocked that this could happen on a campus is because you think there are walls. There are no walls, there is nothing keeping these people out. If they want to kill you they will."
  
  
• They wanted to start a charity. Seriously. They said it was possible an all most people need is a way to send money or help... and they will.
  
  
• They wanted to do a music video. They found "Ohio" by neil young online and watched a pretty touching video of him singing it. It is a song about the Kent State Massacre, you've undoubtedly heard it. Ultimately they decided it wasn't appropriate thematically, that song was mostly a protest song against the government, while this VTech Massacre was more random.
  
  
• We just finished a project where we built 3d digital versions of Towson's campus buildings.
  They wanted to build a replica of VTech's campus and track where the 2 incidents occurred, so they could better understand it and also maybe - if it were offered to the news - so that everyone could see how far apart these two places were.
  
  
• They suggested that maybe there should be a special prayer for those who die senselessly.
  
  
• The following list of thoughts were all offered, discussed and, with modifications, were communally decided to sum-up how the class felt:
  • It could have happened to anyone of us...nobody expected this to happen.
  • We wish the best to and for the families of the victims.
  • Campus life is fragile and can be altered at any moment.
  • We feel pain for the tragic events at the campus but we can not live our lives in fear that the worst will happen.
  • We feel scared
  • We feel threatened
  • We feel uncertain
  • We thought we were safe
  • Maybe we are safe
  • We've taken our safety for granted
  • It could just as easily happen here as it did there
  • Could have been any one of us
  • We're sorry for your loss
  • You're not alone
  • We extend our sympathy to you
  • Our hearts are heavy

Also, at the end of class, they got together and quickly built this blog, it has some thoughts too:
http://virginiatechvictims.blogspot.com/2007/04/what-we-are-trying-to-say.html

Labels: blog, digital art, students, Virginia Tech