Beyond Granite is a public art program on the National Mall, designed to bring new voices and representation among the old monuments. The first phase of this program includes six installations.
America’s Playground: DC
Artist: Derrick Adams
a public artwork in the form of a fully operational playground that reflects on legacies of leisure, racial division, and transformation in Washington, DC and beyond.
Beyond Granite
Of Thee We Sing
Artist: vanessa german
vanessa german conjures the history of Marian Anderson’s iconic 1939 Easter Sunday performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial through an inventive, communal sculpture.
Beyond Granite
On the opening day of the exhibit, artist vanessa german did a “Blue Walk” around the reflecting pool, a ritual of “grace and redemption.”
Let Freedom Ring
Artist: Paul Ramírez Jonas
An interactive bell tower where passersby can ring a giant bell to complete an unfinished version of “My Country ’Tis of Thee” and declare their own visions for freedom
Beyond Granite
There are 32 automated bells hung high, playing all but the final note of “My Country ’Tis of Thee.” The public can pull the lever to play the final note on a 600-lb bell.
HOMEGOING
Artist: Ashon T. Crawley
An audiovisual memorial about the impact of the AIDS crisis that centers spirituality as a means of honoring fallen Black queer church musicians
Beyond Granite
The Soil You See…
Artist: Wendy Red Star
A monumental fingerprint with the names of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation chiefs who signed treaties with the US government, in dialogue with the nearby 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial
Beyond Granite
For the Living
Artist: Tiffany Chung
a monumental world map based on routes of exile, including those taken by the Southeast Asian diaspora as a result of the Vietnam War.
Beyond Granite
More information about these exhibits is on the Beyond Granite website. These six pieces in the inaugural exhibit will be displayed until September 18th (there’s already a public push to leave the playground up indefinitely).
Inspirational! Thanks to the entire team of photo contributors for a comprehensive look at this program.
Thanks very much, Jeff!