8030: A Memorial to Veterans
(Wood, sheetrock, 2,864 nails, 5 hammers, red paint, lights, 65 minutes)
For this project, Michael created a strong, structural wall. One that would not break under the tremendous pressure it would endure for the interactive event. The wall was constructed using building code with fire resistant sheetrock drywall.
On the day of the event, 122 bags of nails, each bag with 22 nails, were laid in a box surrounded by 5 hammers - approximately 6 feet from the wall.
Participants were given 65 minutes to drive all the nails into the wall. This is the time between a veteran committing suicide every day. Each nail represented one veteran who committed suicide by the 122th day of the year (the day of the event). As the nails were driven into the walls, it slowly began to blood. Many questions were asked and a QR Code linked people the DoD’s Website and report on 22 veterans a day committing suicide.
