By Isabelle Lounsberry
Mass shootings have inspired many works of art over the past few years. Mr. Houvouras, an art teacher here at Apopka, gave his view: “Art is always a mirror of society, so when something bad happens artists almost always react to it visually. I think it just gives people something to focus on. Something that maybe expresses how they also feel. Therefore, I think art can be a very cathartic and healing part of grieving. Often when people we love pass way we do a painting, a poem, a t-shirt— something that expresses their emotions over whatever they just endured.” That being said, here are some works honoring those lost in these tragedies.
Pulse
June 12, 2016. A memorable day for all Floridians and members of the LGBTQ+. The Pulse Nightclub was attacked by Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard who killed 49 people and wounded 58 others in a terrorist attack/hate crime. Using a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol, it did not take the perpetrator long to drain the life of the most people ever killed in a mass shooting. The far left is a depiction of some of the memorials for those lost, and the picture to the right is a painting done by Mr. Houvouras. The painting is inspired by the sculpture La Pieta, which depicts Mary cradling Jesus after he was brought off the cross. In place of the bloodied wrists and puncture marks, a bullet casing was used to create 49 bullet wounds.
Understandably, this heinous crime has had a drastic impact on the community. Friends, lovers, and children lost to a maniac. The LGBTQ+ community has taken action in honoring those lost and making sure nothing like this ever happens again— that this pain will never be felt again. However, it has.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Just last week there was another shooting, this time taking place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. Nikolas Cruz, an expelled student from the school shot and killed 17 students and faculty members with an AR-15— a semi-automatic rifle he obtained legally as a 19-year-old student with disciplinary issues and multiple police calls to his house.
The above photo was taken during Emma Gonzalez’s speech about the event. Valerie Davis, an artist from Easton, Pensylvania, has created portraits of all 17 victims. Chris Hixon, one of the victims shown to the right, was from Easton himself.
Columbine
Arguably the start of all this madness and first memorable school shooting of multitude, the Columbine Highschool massacre occurred on April 20, 1999. In addition to shooting and killing 12 students and one teacher, the extensively planned attack involved a fire bomb to divert firefighters, propane tanks converted to bombs placed in the cafeteria, 99 explosive devices, and car bombs. The perpetrators, senior students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, injured an additional 24 people until they were met with gunfire from responding police officers. The pair subsequently committed suicide.
The attack, confusingly, sparked the creation of hundreds of works of fan art such as the ones depicted to the left. The romanticization of these killers— mostly by teenage girls— has been speculated as a part of the epidemic we are currently in, as well as a statement about the values and mental health of our youth.
Sandy Hook
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting transpired on December 14, 2012. 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children between six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members. This dark moment in history represents the turning point of gun control advocates, as it divided the nation. Anger and sorrow struck us all deeply as parents hugged their children just a little tighter, afraid of what was to come next. The memorial to the right is portraits of all the children lost.
These are only a few examples of the many shooting that have happened, especially in the past few years. The effects have been drastic. Everyone is afraid. The works displayed are just a small reminder of the many ways people can stick together in this time of crisis, and how these victims will be remembered.