Monuments chart the enduring task in finding their relevance to the present through referential emblems of often one sided and incomplete histories. Reverence to their preservation relies on a memory that captures the empathy of citizens and their belonging to a place. In a time full of new perspectives scattering previous prejudices, The monuments on Monument Avenue have lost their power of engagement and are instead reduced to the shades of a divided union and the struggle for civil liberties.

Considering the positions and compositions of these monuments as no longer sacred, this matter offers a genuine revaluation of how these monuments can inform a shared landscape for civic conversation through their deconstruction and recontextualization. The statues themselves are dismantled; leaving a stone plinth for public activity. The primitive granite once supporting historical individuals is now carved up into an assortment of benches connecting two greater cultural neighborhoods -- the Museum District and VCU.

Unsure of whether this monument is ancient or new, pedestrians are drawn towards its canopy. From different angles the monolith keeps an interior to itself yet remaining open always. Those that find themselves inside find five stone figures and one skylight. Each shape transcends the previous monument bases, positioning themselves to frame a sunken chamber mostly for listening but also lectures, markets, and other happenings. The roof is accessed through a spiral stair in one of the stones. Without realizing it until gazing back at the city from this new outlook, a community sees itself for the first time in a long time.

2018 Competition Finalist - Monument Ave. General Devotion General Demotion.
In collaboration with James Murray.