North Texas Artist Places Thousands Of Acorns In Driveway To Give Perspective On COVID-19 Deaths
RICHARDSON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Since the start of the pandemic, more than 350,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.
In Richardson, one professional artist has turned her yard into a giant visual reminder of this.
"This was really a labor of love," Elizabeth Duval said. "It was a bigger effort than I expected it to be."
In Duval's yard, a large art installation includes 11,250 acorns grouped together.
They represent a fraction of those who have died from the virus.
Some of whom her sister, who is an ER doctor, cared for.
"What she talks about is it's hardest because they come in and are talking and they know them," Duval said. "They follow those patients from the ER, they know what happens to them and then when they lose them it's just so tragic for them."
Duval said many people don't recognize what healthcare workers are dealing with and some are not following proper preventative measures because of that lack of understanding.
So as an artist, she's putting it in perspective.
She says since grouping 350,000 acorns would take weeks, in the middle of her art installation is a sign that helps people visualize it.
It tells people to look to the left and imagine 11,250 bodies in every driveway on both sides of her street.
Then look to the right and by mid-to-late January, at the current death rate, all of those driveways will also be full.
"It's hard to reckon with the numbers that we're talking about and that's why I wanted to do a thought exercise," she said.
Duval said this took hours of work, but if it changes just one person's habits it will be worth it.
"We have things we can do to protect each other," she said. "It might save another person and that's enough."
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