Unattended Baggage (2019)

Acrylic anti-terrorism backpack, contact microphone, transducer, amplifier circuit
This piece is a screaming feedback backpack, meant to sonify the rage and pain of American youth which is rendered mute by the uninhibited flow of money between corporations and politicians. After 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, school administrators responded by mandating that students wear clear backpacks so that any firearms would be visible to staff and security officers. In response, students placed "$1.05" price tags inside their new bags. The amount reflects the amount of money per student spent by the NRA in order to help Florida Senator Marco Rubio seek reelection. In doing so, the students condemned the school's focus on individual accountability rather than the failure of public institutions.

Source: Parkland students march with $1.05 price tags. It was a message for Marco Rubio.