Bettina von Zwehl at the New York Historical Society

Inspired by a 2018 lie-in by high school students in Washington D.C. to protest gun violence, and ghostly profile portraits by Benjamin Tappan in the New York Historical Society’s collection, London-based artist Bettina von Zwehl created portraits of 17 New York high school students intended to recall death masks.  The result is a sobering and beautiful memorial to those killed by guns and a powerful plea to stop the violence. (On view at the New York Historical Society on the Upper West Side through April 28th).

Bettina von Zwehl, Meditations in an Emergency, #1-17, series of 17 photographs, gelatin silver prints, handprinted, 2018.