Evan Z. Crane

Name of Work: Memorial Bench

About the Work:
I originally conceived of Memorial Bench in the early days of the pandemic. It was a point when I had received news that my friend and mentor, the designer Joseph Foglia, had died of complications from a tragic accident. It is a solemn expression of love and friendship, a diligently crafted memorial inspired by forms observed while social distancing in Brooklyn's Greenwood Cemetery. Like all memorials, the bench is meant to be interacted with in nature. The unfinished bronze and aluminum construction will oxidize over time, forging an existence in equilibrium with its surrounding environment. Spending many hours in Greenwood Cemetery, I became acutely aware of the physical language of grief as a means of social interaction. Alone or in small groups, people would gather around a tangible marker created to remember and educate others about a family member or cherished individual. Memorial Bench is my attempt to tap into and convey that physical language of grief. It is realized with a language that Joe played a considerable role in facilitating in my own practice. On a very personal level, it's also a means for me to process grief in a new way, and hopefully grants the same opportunity to others who may interact with it in physical or virtual spaces. It is my contribution to one of the many experiences that make up this global ‘new normal’ we’ve adapted to.