FSU Art & College of Social Work for One Million Bones
An installation of handmade bones laid out on the National Mall. Photo by Simone Pathe; referenced from pbs.org.
On June 8, 2013, students and faculty of the Florida State University Department of Art and the College of Social Work participated in the One Million Bones project, a nation-wide arts-activism installation which strives to protest genocide and raise awareness of ongoing violence in Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and Burma. One Million Bones Tallahassee/Florida worked eighteen months, in efforts of joining other artists, activists and students to lay down handmade bones on the National Mall (Washington D.C.), June 8-10, 2013.
Lead by Jane McPherson, One Million Bones Tallahassee/Florida has created over 23,000 bones, raised $23,000, and sponsored over 150 events for genocide survivors. McPherson, instructor and doctoral candidate of FSU College of Social Work, founded the Tallahassee chapter with FSU Art Professor George Blakely and other faculty members, artists and community activists. The organization partnered with Students Rebuild and others of the local community, including FSU Anthropology Club, FAMU, Thomas University, 621 Gallery, Tallahassee Art League, Tallahassee Museum & LeMoyne Art Center, and several Leon County public schools.
Using donated funds, the bones are crafted without molds from clay, plaster, paper and other materials at local schools, senior centers, and on the FSU campus. Each bone crafted by the organization is equivalent to one dollar donated to survivors’ servers.
In an article from FSU News, McPherson stated:
[quote]Let’s make the bones that are being overlooked and put them in public spaces[/quote]
Participate
Support One Million Bones Florida/Tallahassee!
One Million Bones/Florida on Facebook
Students Rebuild.org
One Million Bones: Join the Movement!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFukmsLLG0k]
References
Simone Pathe, “A Bone to Pick With Genocide? Try a Million,” PBS.org,
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2013/06/a-bone-to-pick-with-genocide-try-a-million.html (accessed June 14, 2013).
Olivia Wilson, “FSU’s One Million Bones Tallahassee calls for action by crafting clay bones,” FSU News,
http://www.fsunews.com/article/20120822/FSVIEW/120821045/FSU-s-One-Million-Bones-Tallahassee-calls-action-by-crafting-clay-bones (accessed June 14, 2013).
Jane McPherson, “One Million Bones thanks the community for its success,” Tallahassee.com,
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20130523/CHRONICLE/305230013/One-Million-Bones-thanks-community-its-success?nclick_check=1
“Support the Tallahassee One Million Bones Contingent: pilgrimage to DC,” FSU Art News & Opportunities,
http://news.art.fsu.edu/2013/05/support-the-tallahassee-one-million-bones-contingent-pilgrimage-to-dc/