Killer

 

Final Project: I knew for this final project that I was going to do something truly meaningful, and something that I am connected to and another piece of a project that I truly enjoyed making. The title of this work would be “Killer”. In this project I chose to do another series to my last project which was Alcohol Kills. This project was kind of a blanket statement over everything that was said in that project, but I wanted this project to cover every addiction possible. I don’t believe that people know all the different types of addictions there truly are so I decided to do research and find out the highest forms of addiction in America. According to valleyspringsrecovery.com, Alcohol addiction takes over 2.6 million annually, nicotine kills 8 million people each year, 1.3 billion users, and Cannabis use disorder is 52.2 million. These are just 3 types but there are many quiet killers that are forgotten; food, porn, gambling,etc. I chose to do almost a silent protest within my home town and held up a simple homemade sign that stated “Addiction Kills”. I had the people I was with document photos of me, and honestly it was kind of hard to do. I got a lot of weird looks from people and even had one girl come up to me and say that I was being too judgmental and not understanding. I had to explain to her my family history and tell her I’m no stranger to this topic, but she didn’t want to hear it. I chose to be very calm and not argue with anyone so I just ended the conversation. Within the dozens of looks I received, all I can hope is that someone went home that night and continued to think about that one crazy girl in the street. All I wanted with this specific project was to spread awareness, but I think another continuation would be amazing and actually be able to give resources to the people on the streets or even the hidden addicts. I took photos in a 2 day time span, but I could see this being a consistent thing and really making it a large form of awareness. I believe addiction is such a horrible nasty disease and we as a community need to find ways to help the ones we love around us. 




Documentation:









Where the photos were taken: 












Comments

  1. Sabrina_PadillaJuly 9, 2025 at 10:15 AM

    Doing a silent protest makes this project more intriguing for me, especially when you mentioned the girl who approached you. I wonder why she felt the way she did and why she wouldn't hear you out. Something like addiction is often shrugged off and not cared about because "people can just stop," but the reality is they can't. Addiction comes in so many different forms and can be impossible to keep track of, and even harder to stop, and then it never truly goes away. I love this idea with the sign, and it would be interesting to push that same permanence of addiction in the project.

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  2. Jayden ButlerJuly 10, 2025 at 12:38 PM

    I remember commenting on your Alcohol Kills project, and I must say this is an excellent adaptation of it. I like how you kept it vague because most people who have a fixation or addiction are subscribed to a culture or way of thinking that creates cycles. So, I think this interrupts that cycle by creating room for people to reflect on the connections they might have to this statement. Addiction is a complex topic, so I believe giving out resources could also assist in educating those like that woman. Overall, I really enjoy this project because it matches the severity of the message you're getting across.

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  3. Kiara ImblumJuly 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM

    Caitlin,
    Your final project was incredibly thought-provoking and conveyed a strong message. It was incredibly brave of you to carry out this silent protest. The reactions from the public show just how relevant and necessary your protest is in today's world. If you ever decide to revisit or expand on this idea, I wonder if you might explore adding a participatory or engaging public element, like a QR code linking to visuals or resources, similar to how Krzysztof Wodiczko integrates public engagement into his work? Overall, this was impactful and shared such an important message. Great job!

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  4. Elise FarmerJuly 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM

    Your project “Killer” is a powerful and brave statement about addiction’s many faces. I admire your calm strength in facing judgment while raising awareness in your community. The personal connection you shared adds real depth, making this silent protest both impactful and deeply meaningful. Continuing this work could truly foster healing.

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