DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Gun Violence Memorial Project, created by popular New York-based conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, officially opens Friday night at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and will remain on display through Aug. 10.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report:
The traveling memorial features four houses made of glass bricks, with each house containing 700 bricks, representing the number of people lost to gun violence weekly in the United States when the project began in 2019.
"If it began today, it would be 820," said Jova Lynne, co-director and artistic director of MOCAD.
Community members have contributed personal items representing friends and family members killed by gun violence, which are displayed inside the glass bricks alongside names, ages, and photos of the victims.
VIDEO: Take a tour of 'House 1' in the Gun Violence Memorial Project
Lakela Brown, who lost her brother Nate in 2017 when he was 39 years old, contributed his military dog tags to the memorial.
"I think it's really nice for all the families who have experienced this traumatic thing to have a place to honor and remember their loved ones," Brown said. "It's making something beautiful out of something really tragic."
The items displayed range from baby shoes to hats, each representing someone's personal story and memory of a life cut short.
Lynne hopes the memorial can eventually become a permanent monument that helps people heal and inspires change.
"I do want to thank every family member that has contributed to this project so far. The trust and care folks have for their loved ones is palpable, and so we're just so honored to have this project here," Lynne said.
The museum is collecting objects on Saturday, June 21, for those who wish to honor loved ones affected by gun violence.
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