Gabrielle McCarty, a student in Rob Millard-Mendez’s ART 104 Design in Materials course, designed “Breathing Crisis,” a sculpture made of copper pipe and fittings, a concrete box, lights with a solar panel, a motor, air pump, sensor plate, canvas, PVC tubes and a speaker.

“This sculpture is meant to evoke a feeling of seriousness about the COVID-19 outbreak and the damage that it is causing,” says McCarty. “COVID-19 affects the lungs and respiratory functions. I used an air pump that would be placed underground and powered by solar panels. The air pump would cause the lungs to expand and deflate. The piece would also include copper pipes which would represent the bronchioles. There would be a sensory plate and a speaker also above ground. When the sensory plate would be stepped on, the speaker would broadcast facts about COVID-19. I want this piece to comment on the casualties that the world is currently facing due to the virus.”