Artist Cedric “Vise 1” Douglas presents a forward-looking vision for the future of memorials and monuments in the United States with his newest version of the ongoing series “The People’s Memorial Project,” a pop-up public video projection installation which addresses the current debate about public monuments and their controversial status.
In Downtown Chelsea, Massachusetts, a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus was removed after months of debate led by local Chelsea High School students. These students came together to denounce the memorial, on the basis that Columbus does not represent the city’s predominantly LatinX community’s values. The empty pedestal that once anchored Columbus will for one night, on September 30th 2021, be home to a temporary public art installation designed by Douglas, located at 179 Winnisimmet Street from 7-10PM.
With so many statues and monuments being forcibly removed around the country, Douglas’s artwork provides an answer to the question “What’s next?” This past July, Douglas led a kick-off conversation with Chelsea residents and students to further consider the implications of these questions and answers. At the event, local residents began the process of nominating local figures, both historic and currently living, that better represent the community to be featured in the temporary artwork.
Residents have been invited to nominate underrepresented people in their communities whom they would like celebrated during the night of Sept 30th at the pop-up public video projection installation. In August and September, Cedric and his street team engaged with the community at several events and have received over 250 nominations to date. A bright orange ballotbox at Chelsea City Hall is receiving nominations through Sept 26th.
“The intent of this project is to create a glimpse into the future, by replacing an antiquated view of history with a vision of tomorrow where all people who have contributed to the growth and prosperity of the local community and the broader nation, are recognized and honored” says Douglas.
Douglas’ artwork provides an opportunity to rethink whom we, as a society, are choosing to memorialize in the form of public statues and monuments. “The People’s Memorial Project” is more than an artwork; it is a campaign to rethink the future of memorials and monuments on the broadest scale. This concept is not just for the Christopher Columbus site, but for all locations, it is a proposal for a better process for nomination and giving tribute to the individuals who make our community and our world a better place.
With this productive and forward-looking artwork and nomination campaign, Douglas and his team hope to ignite a nation-wide movement of public monuments that are for the people and by the people . Artist: Cedric “Vise 1” Douglas – [email protected] Producer: Vanessa Till Hooper / Studio HHH – studiohhh.com, [email protected] Creative Technologies: Jeff Grantz – illuminusboston.org, j [email protected]
Project Manager: Teresita Cochran – [email protected] #thepeoplesmemorialproject