Akron Zoo Memorial
In 2024, Art x Love was engaged to explore and develop a memorial art piece for caretakers of animals that had passed on at the Akron Zoo. We evaluated potential areas for installation and a range of memorial types for consideration. In the end, we aligned with the Akron Zoo’s caretakers and leadership team on a custom-designed memorial wind chime to be installed at the Lehner Family Gardens.
We researched a wind range of wind chimes, evaluating each based on size, materials, and sound. Once we identified our preferred combination for design, we contacted a manufacturer in Malaysia who helped us secure raw wind chime materials made of bamboo from Bali. The items were shipped to Akron and arrived in the summer of 2025. Upon receipt, Mac prepped and painted each wind chime with a 2-color scheme designed to represent a variety of biomes from the natural world, including:
Yellow = Desert + Chaparral
Green = Forest + Rainforest + Taiga
Dark Green = Grassland + Wetland
Blue = Aquatic + Marine
Purple = Mountain + Tundra
Pink = Love + Affection
Mac presented the completed wind chime to the Akron Zoo staff and caretakers in October, 2025. The memorial wind chime will be installed in the tree above the Don Drumm butterfly bench on the north-facing side of the Lehner Family Gardens. We hope it brings peace to all who visit it, compassionate for all who serve the animals, and inspires reflection on what each of us can do for the planet.
