Mackenzie Eickhoff, a student in Rob Millard-Mendez’s ART 104 Design in Materials course, designed “Breath,” a sculpture made of steel and paint.

“My intentions for this piece are to honor all COVID-19 hospital staff. The main content I was trying to evoke was honor, reminiscence, tribute and acknowledgment. The overall shape of the piece is a tree in the form of lungs. The tree form looks like lungs and the limbs resemble alveoli and bronchi (parts of the human lung),” says Eickhoff. “COVID-19 symptoms resemble pneumonia, which restricts your airways. Because many nurses, doctors and other medical staff are treating many cases that involve lack of airflow, the lung imagery seemed appropriate. The tree also stands for strength, nourishment and dependability. The four pillars that hold up the massive, steel artwork contain the words stamina, strength, service, and sacrifice. These words depict some of the attributes that medical professionals have shown during these trying times. Steel was used not only for structure and long-term presence but also because of the strength it projects.”