Bunny Rogers's Columbine Library Exhibition Uses Y2K Cartoons to Explore School Shooting Aftermath
The exhibition titled Columbine Library by Bunny Rogers delves into the cultural repercussions of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, utilizing Y2K-era cartoon figures. It showcases videos featuring characters from Clone High and Invader Zim reciting dark poetry authored by Rogers, with Joan of Arc portraying Dylan Klebold and Gaz as Eric Harris. Among the pieces displayed is a life-sized replica of a bookcase from the Columbine library, filled with plush toys named Elliott Smith, along with replicas of chairs from Columbine High School adorned with custom backpacks and duffel bags designed to mimic bomb concealment. Launched in October 2014, the exhibition investigates online communities surrounding the shooters and the objectification of victims. The tragic event on April 20, 1999, resulted in 13 deaths and 23 injuries.
Key facts
- Bunny Rogers's exhibition Columbine Library opened in October 2014
- The exhibition uses Y2K-era cartoon characters as surrogates for Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
- Videos feature Joan of Arc from Clone High representing Dylan Klebold and Gaz from Invader Zim representing Eric Harris
- Works include Clone State Bookcase, a life-size replica of a Columbine library bookcase with custom plush toys
- Replicas of Columbine High School chairs are draped with custom backpacks featuring velour roses and beaded patches
- Duffel bags inspired by those used to hide bombs are placed throughout the gallery
- The Columbine High School massacre occurred on April 20, 1999, killing 13 people and injuring 23
- Online communities have formed around the shooters, obsessing over details while depersonalizing victims
Entities
Artists
- Bunny Rogers
- Eric Harris
- Dylan Klebold
- Elliott Smith
- Joan of Arc
Institutions
- Columbine High School
- Clone High
- Invader Zim
- Neopets
- Soci.t.
- ArtReview
Locations
- Colorado
- United States