TR Ericsson

A letter sent to the artist from his maternal grandfather written April 20, 1999, the morning after the Columbine shootings in Colorado. Clearly, judging by the shaky hand writing he was already in poor health, he lingered on two more years and died in September 2001 just after the planes hit the towers in New York City. The artist recalls driving over the Brooklyn Bridge to go to Ohio for the funeral and seeing the smoke still rising from what was left of the buildings, Ground Zero as it was called. His grandfather’s funerary ashes are mixed with pigment to make this work.


April 20, 1999

Dear Tom,

What a tragedy out in Colorado last nite. Will there ever be an end to horrible things like this going on? Guess not
- as long as we are still people.

Tom, We're on your countdown and hope to see you guys very soon. It's been a long time, much too long since we've heard your great voices. Tell your Buddy we also (miss) her also

the Enclosed is to pay off loan. Don't want you to have that on you any longer.
Forgive my squiggles + forgive me (illegible)

Just (illegible) Bean soup today at John's Cafe fo