“To be a truly conscientious artist, you have to look at what’s not working and challenge it…” —Kara Walker (born 1969)
How does public art inspire civic engagement?
Several iterations of A Memorial Field exist. The installation increases awareness of America’s racist system of policing and continues to evolve to include new memorials. It makes a stark connection to lynching. It is a cry for cultural shifts in America today, away from harm and intimidation, and toward safety and justice. Visitors grapple with the scale of the injustice perpetrated by law enforcement and the trauma inflicted on victims, their families and communities, and our country. These crimes and the fear they generate become intolerable when viewed together. Reform is a most pressing concern.
