KEENE, N.H. — With three small desks, open backpacks, and a rug with a cartoon map of the United States, the space Newtown High School 2015 graduate Haley Kean designed for Keene State College’s annual student art exhibition has the familiarity of school memories.

It should: Many of the inspirations came from her own childhood.

Haley’s exhibit is part of “Emerging Art: 2019 Art Student Exhibition,” on view at Keene State College’s Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery through May 11. Haley is one of 18 graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and Bachelor of Arts degree students with art on display in the exhibit, according to the school.

Beyond the primary colors and school-inspired objects, Haley’s exhibit has another context — gun violence. There are name tags, a bucket of rocks, slingshots, and screen prints on the wall that represent lessons, like how to disassemble an AR-15 rifle.

Going from Newtown to New Hampshire made her realize her hometown is like a fishbowl, according to Haley, and it can feel like everyone has the same views and values. While attending college, she met people with different views, including some who were unaware of the subject of gun violence’s magnitude.

“I wanted to share my perspective and facilitate a conversation about gun violence and how it is still an issue. People in New Hampshire kind of forget and put it in the back of their minds,” said Haley.

So far, the reaction to her work has been positive, she said. The exhibition opened with a formal reception on April 12. Haley has been sharing information about groups like Everytown For Gun Safety with people who show interest.

“It might seem very small, but the ultimate goal is to get people to talk about it and take action,” Haley said.

She described the room she designed as small and “very interactive.” She wanted it to have an intimate feeling. Every element is something she took from her own memories or from news articles. There’s an element of drama, like bulletproof vests hanging on tiny plastic and metal school chairs, like jackets haphazardly placed by small hands.

“It’s a future/present perspective on how children in the US are being educated… brought up in a society riddled with fear and violence,” Haley explained. “That’s definitely anxiety-inducing for a child.”

She received funding for the exhibit from The Center for Creative Inquiry at Keene State College. Saint Joseph Regional School in Keene donated the desks. Everything placed inside the desks are things Haley found in her basement, kept mementos of her childhood.

As an art student, Haley said she has been focusing on print making and “sociopolitical art.”

She also created etchings for the “classroom” space. Through the exhibit, Haley said she is “symbolically giving back” precious moments to the children who lost their lives to gun violence in school.

In her artist statement for the exhibit, Haley wrote, “At 15 years old, much like any teenager, I thought I was immortal. The only problems that ran through my mind were things like, ‘would I make the lacrosse team?’ or ‘does my crush like me back?’ The only tragedy I was familiar with was the kind from Shakespeare, read aloud popcorn-style in Language Arts class. I grew up in a small town with green grass, white picket fences, fundraising car washes, and bake sales. Fairfield County, Connecticut is known for its excessive amounts of country clubs. However, within a year, the perspective completely changed. I am from Newtown, Connecticut. On December 14, 2012, 26 people were shot in Sandy Hook Elementary School. Women and their children I had bumped into in the grocery store, enthusiastic field hockey moms supporting our team from the bleachers, children that had challenged me with a game of tag at [Dickinson Memorial Park], they were all gone. And what was left was a community paralyzed with trauma. It has been over 6 years since that day.

“Working with installation mixed media and screen printing, I have constructed an environment that reflects my concern on the issue of gun violence in America. Since 2009, there have been 288 school shootings in the US,” Haley wrote. “However, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and the UK combined have only had five. Moreover, we are entering an age that is chaperoned with unrelenting fear. The feeling of security within any place has vanished from our society. There is no longer any ‘that could never be me.’ I have created a classroom space where the environment is swallowed by the constant state of dread in children and adults alike. This state is almost normalized into the classroom. This environment is a compilation of real strategies used by school districts in the US. Through my research, I have found that schools have armed their children with rocks and slingshots in defense of a shooter with a weapon that can fire 130 rounds per minute. I have also found ads for bulletproof backpacks that depict smiling children as they example how to run away from a shooter. My main goal through this installation is to contribute to a larger conversation about gun violence in America.”

Haley called her exhibit “A is for AR-15.”

“The driving force behind this body of work is also the overwhelming sense of pride I have toward the community I grew up in. In the aftermath of the shooting, a small town assaulted by helicopters, news crews, and a dark cloud of loss, anger, and hate,” Haley wrote. “My community rose above, choosing to fight this battle with kindness, love, and unity. I watched in awe as my neighbors marched and protested, making a promise to myself that I wouldn’t give up the fight either. As part of this exhibition, I have created a series of six prints paying respects for the lives lost as well as the family, friends, and communities effected by gun violence. These prints are photographs from my childhood, one from every year starting at 6 years old to 12 years old. Moments I wish I could give to the children who were shot in Sandy Hook. Moments they never get to experience because of senseless gun violence.”

After graduating from Keene State College, Haley said she plans to complete a resident internship with the Carving Studio & Sculpture Center in West Rutland, Vt.