HELL DRILL, How Do You Prepare for a School Shooting evolved from a story I pitched to my editors at The New York Times Magazine. The event was a simulated mass casualty shooting at a Long Island, New York, high school intended to train first responders about the agonizing choices they would face during a real shooting spree. This exercise took place less than two weeks after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 students and two teachers.
During this event, 62 simulated victims, made up with realistic stage make-up injuries, and 240 first responders took part in a massive exercise for departments to prepare for a catastrophic event. For the drill, a young man was assumed to have opened fire on a large group of high school students during a football game and created fires as diversions. This simulation relied on high school students, many of whom are members of the junior volunteer fire and ambulance departments, who pretended to scream in pain as they were designated triage tags.
The scenario included a car set on fire, fire engines from several Long Island departments, and a helicopter deployed to pick up those designated to be the most unstable, adding to the chaos. In preparation, I spoke with all departments to create a schedule that would have me moving from fire to EMT and finally to police training sessions. The day concluded with over 80 members of local police working on drills within the school hallways and classrooms in pursuit of the “shooter.”
Artist Bios
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Lindsay Morris
Lindsay Morris is a photographer best known for her documentary work on youth, marginalized communities, and the state of democracy in America.
She is a producer of the 2016 BBC documentary My Transgender Summer Camp and the upcoming feature Mom, I Have Something to Tell You. Her monograph You Are You (Kehrer Verlag, 2015), which documents a summer camp for gender-expansive children, received international acclaim. She is currently traveling the country producing The Kids of Camp I Am, a decade-later follow-up series.
Her photography has been widely published in The New York Times Magazine, TIME, New York Magazine, Scientific American, GEO, Marie Claire, and Elle. Her work is held in private and public collections, including The Parrish Art Museum (Water Mill, NY) and The Newport Art Museum (RI).
Morris was a featured TED Speaker at TEDWomen 2023; her talk was published in March 2024. She was a 2024 Artist in Residence at The Watermill Center (NY) and received both a 2024 NYSCA Grant and the 2023 NYFA/JGS Fellowship for Photography.
She holds a BFA from the University of Michigan School of Art. Her passion for photography began during a Rotary Exchange year in South Africa. She continued her studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the School for International Training (Kenya), and in Ann Arbor, MI.
Organizations
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Photoville
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
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Digital Silver Imaging
Digital Silver Imaging (DSI) is the innovative photo lab behind the patented DSI Digital Silver Print®, printing digital files directly onto black & white silver gelatin photographic paper through specialized laser technology. This internationally recognized studio in Belmont, Massachusetts also offers premium color pigment printing, expert mounting, custom framing, high-resolution digitization, and comprehensive finishing services. Their work graces prestigious institutions including the MFA Boston, Chicago Art Institute, The Smithsonian, and Musée de la Photographie in Belgium to name only a few. DSI actively supports photographers by providing pro bono support for select exhibitions, educational programs, and community events.
H E L L D R I L L
Featuring: Lindsay Morris
Locations
View Location Details Download a detailed map of this location Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
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The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.
