In 2020, honoring those who have served in the US Armed Forces on Veterans Day seems especially important because of the disparaging remarks made by the current president about members of the military. With this in mind, today’s Google Doodle honors veterans in a very creative way. Made by Air Force veteran and guest artist Jenn Hassin, the Doodle consists of hundreds of hand-rolled pieces of paper made from uniforms donated from every branch of the American military.
In order to turn scraps of military uniforms into paper, Hassin cut her samples into tiny pieces and then sent them through a Hollander beater, which is a machine that generates paper pulp from cellulose containing plant fibers. Hassin then arranged the paper she had created into an art piece spelling out “Google (GOOGL),” and the end result is an unusually beautiful digital Doodle that feels genuinely tactile. Google has also provided an extremely satisfying time-lapse video that shows the artist creating her work, piece by piece.
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“The rolls are all slightly different, which represents the uniqueness of the individual,” Hassin told Google in an interview about her process. “Our nation’s military is made up of people from all walks of life, which to me, is one of the truly special aspects of serving. Though we are all different, what unites us is our willingness to devote our lives to our country.”
Although Hassin specified that she served as a dental technician and was stationed in England during her time in the military, and that she loved this work, she also acknowledged that not every person who serves in America has an enjoyable experience or even has a choice in whether or not they’ll serve. In incorporating many different uniforms into her Google project, Hassin hopes to express that vast variety artistically.
