The 21 Salute by Tyna McDevitt

The 21 Salute by Tyna McDevitt

             The 21 Salute is a piece which has items of mementos from my brother. The main focus is on a beret my brother bought for me at a thrift store when I went to visit him in the army, laying on top of the beret is a knife I had inherited after his death, his dog tags lay scattered next to the knife also on top of the beret. In the sand next to the beret is a gun shell from the 21-salute from his funeral and a toy solider I picked up in a toyshop in New Orleans on a mission trip after the trip to Arizona for the funeral.

The image is supposed to portray an emotional sense of loss. Not only is it to give an emotional reaction to the viewer of sadness but also bring hope for a better future for our country. It shows how much is sacrificed when my brother left to fight in Afghanistan. The toy soldier is to represent our childhood memories and growth into the new day. The beret give an emotional response for me personally because my brother bought it for me knowing I wanted to grow up and be just like him. Now, I see it and feel remorse for all the time I was given with him that I wasted. The picture is shot in the sand because one of my fondest memories of him is at the beach for a mission trip in Panama, Florida.