Alma's Brief

Alma Erro

Forty-Four Unclaimed Bodies In Massachusetts:  an interactive piece that brings awareness to the rising cost of funeral services and how this trend is disproportionately affecting low-income communities.  Each coffin contains information about the issue and features stories from people impacted in Massachusetts.  

In MA, there is a law that states every single unidentified person must be buried. Between January 2014 and January 2016, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner came into possession of 186 abandoned bodies, each body was held in the morgue coolers an average of 44 days. Forty-Four features 44 coffins. Every coffin has text inscribed into the lid, providing a fact, story, or a solution to the problem. In addition, there will be a map in each coffin so that people can find other coffins and learn more about this issue. Flowers will stick out of the head to pay our respects to the people this issue has affected.  The caskets are small because they are not meant to be noticed by everybody.   This installation is designed to spread awareness about this issue and to inform the public about potential solutions.  

Final Presentation

Alma Erro and Henry Tsai