One Million Bones (2008-2013) is a social practice work in which over 150,000 people from fifty states and thirty countries created handmade bones to address ongoing genocide and mass atrocities in Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Syria. The bones were installed by thousands of participants in a choreographed performance as part of a three-day culminating event.
The five year process that led to the installation on the National Mall included two preview installations of 50,000 bones, one in Albuquerque and one in New Orleans; hundreds of small, local installations in schools and communities and a one day event with thirty four simultaneous installations in thirty three state capitals.
Public work, National Mall, Washington, D.C.
June, 2013
1,018,260 bones installed on the National Mall.
photo credit: Teru Kuwayama
Public work, National Mall, Washington, D.C.
June, 2013
Performance of 1,018,260 bones being installed on the National Mall.
photo credit: Associated Press
Public work, Albuquerque, NM
August 27, 2011
Installation/performance of 50,000 bones in Albuquerque, NM.
photo credit: Joanne Teasdale
Public work, Congo Square, New Orleans, LA
April 07, 2012
Installation/performance of 50,000 bones in New Orleans, LA.
photo: Jennifer MacNeill
Public work, Texas State Capitol, Austin, TX
April 28, 2012
Installation of bones laid on Texas Capitol grounds. These bones were made and installed by participants of One Million Bones in Texas. This installation was one of 34 public works of One Million Bones produced in 33 State Capitals on April 28, 2012.
photo: Emily Keating
Public work, Louisiana State Capitol, Baton Rouge, LA
April 28, 2012
Installation of bones laid in Baton Rouge on Louisiana Capitol grounds. These bones were made and installed by participants of One Million Bones in Louisiana. This installation was one of 34 public works of One Million Bones produced in 33 State Capitals on April 28, 2012.
photo: Dana Nguyen
Public work, Oklahoma State Capitol, Oklahoma City, OK
April 28, 2012
Installation of bones laid on Oklahoma Capitol grounds. These bones were made and installed by participants of One Million Bones in Oklahoma. This installation was one of 34 public works of One Million Bones produced in 33 State Capitals on April 28, 2012.
photo: Patty Ozebek
Public work, Juneau, AK
April 28, 2012
Installation of bones laid in Juneau, Alaska. These bones were made and installed by participants of One Million Bones in Alaska. This installation was one of 34 public works of One Million Bones produced in 33 State Capitals on April 28, 2012.
photo: MK MacNaughton
Public Work, July 2015
100,00 bones installed at the Sebrenica-Potočari Memorial Center for the Commemoration of Genocide in Srebrenica.
Public Work, April 2018
Ceramic bones remaining from the original installation laid in a meadow in Silver City, New Mexico.
Photographic work created to be the concept image for One Million Bones.
Artist: Naomi Natale
Public works
April 28, 2012
Installation images from numerous public works of One Million Bones produced in 33 State Capitals on April 28, 2012.