Premise: The NY Times ran an article on Mike Hirsh’s work to restore vandalized graves at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in Bushwick. A distinctive feature is that the grave markers are either wood or metal, typically white bronze (which is in fact zinc). Design a course around restoring these graves and the associated corporal and spiritual acts of mercy…

Some meta-themes

  • Reflecting upon mortality and death
  • Reflecting upon our responsibilities to the dead
  • Historical research methods
  • Art restoration…after a few years we might refurbish a few of these graves

History

Theology

  • Reading: James Keenan, SJ, The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism — maybe just excerpts of the chapters on the relevant corporal (burying the dead) and spiritual (praying for the dead) acts of mercy?
  • Activity: Start an St. Joseph of Arimathea Pallbearer Society at Fordham/Prep (to my knowledge this doesn’t exist, but is at other Jesuit high schools)
  • Activity: Dia De Los Muertos. (if held during the Fall semester)
  • Writing Assignment: Personal reflection on works of mercy.

Metal Casting / CAD

3D-printed (polymer) grave markers are generally not permitted in Catholic cemeteries, as the vast majority of cemeteries require markers to be made exclusively of durable, traditional materials like high-quality granite, marble, or bronze. But this depends on the cemetery (as noted, Most Holy Trinity was unique in forbidding stone).

We will likely have to do some metal casting…(aluminum would be great for cost and safety, but probably verbotten). Perhaps we make additive molds binder jet fusion? Or just sculpt the positive by hand? Or CAD up a few positive forms? Monumental Bronze Company essentially used pure zinc with post-processing by sand blasting and a lacquer coating. The Grokipedia entry on Monumental Brone Company is surprisingly informative on fabrication and conservation issues.

  • Reading/online coursework: Complete the METAL for America online course on metal casting
  • Activity: Probably just do a flat (open top) green sand cast? Maybe with a 3d-printed positive (so do some CAD?)
  • Activity: 3d scanning of known examples; build a database of these (over time)
  • Field trip: Bedi-Makky Foundry in Brooklyn
  • Writing Assignment: Proposal on the reconstructed grave marker
  • Writing Assignment: Final report on final outcome, with reflections.

Fordham-related notes

  • Could count for “New York City Experience”?