about
My project, “welcome to the rainbow bridge”, targets those who have experienced a very specific kind of grief that can affect us at multiple different times in our lives. Losing a pet is never easy, and for many it can hit just as hard as losing a person. My project aims to entertain the idea of a rainbow bridge, a theoretical place where you can be reunited with your animal once you pass away as well. For many people this can provide comfort, and even a sense of hope. I aim to foster this hope in my project as well as share the love and memories from the many people who shared information with me about their personal pets that have passed.
content
I wanted this project to feel as personal as possible to my audience, because this subject matter is one that many people are familiar with and have some sort of connection to. To accomplish this, I sent out a google form link to everyone I had connections with, and collected 127 responses from people all across the country. Their responses gave me real names and images of their personal pets who have passed away and still hold a special place in their heart. I wanted to honor this in my project, so my video component is full of these submissions.
display
I wanted to experiment with many different materials for this project, so I have included many different forms of media. I have laser engraved/cut wooden keychains, printed media, projected animations overlayed onto printed media, a projected video, and an audio file I performed and recorded. I also included holographic vinyl on both the podium and the wall to give a heavenly, magic feel to my project.
overview
After dealing with many pet losses of my own, this project meant the world for me to create. It feels great knowing I get to honor both the memory of my own pets, as well as the pets of over a hundred other grieving people. Projects like these bring people together over shared experiences, and I hope this one was no different! Encouraging conversations about topics like grief and loss are important to those struggling and can be a step forward in the healing process, especially once you learn you’re not alone.
the artist
First and foremost, thank you so much for taking the time to view my project, and an even bigger thank you to everyone who contributed submissions and made this project so personal and meaningful!
I am graduating this coming December with my BFA in graphic design, and I could not be more excited! I am originally from Omaha, but have made Lincoln my home for the last few years and plan to stay here for awhile after graduating. I don’t have any set plans yet, but I am hopeful I will find a career that I really enjoy in the near future.
Let’s stay connected!
Contact me at krmcshannon@gmail.com or visit my links below!