The magnitude of our loss to COVID-19 is hard to grasp. This Remembrance marks one moment in time. It is the moment in the pandemic when 200,000 had died in the United States, deaths in the world were approaching 1 million, and 42 residents of Somerville had succumbed to the virus. The site was created with the somber understanding that over time these numbers would grow and that the mind grows numb to such staggering sums. But each of those lost is an individual, someone who loved and was loved, who had hopes and disappointments, who had stories to tell and expectations for the future. By photographing 42 empty chairs in a variety of settings in Somerville, we pay our respects to and recognize the unique and individual loss of each victim. With these empty chairs, we mourn not just those lost in Somerville but across the nation and the world and at that moment, and sadly those deaths to come. With this visual Remembrance, we bow our heads to the heartbreaking loss of so many souls in our community and all communities. May each rest in peace. May each be remembered always.
Click each image to see the additional pictures and a statement by that artist
