As public art evolves, so must our digital documentation practices. The Public Art Archive (PAA) enables you to digitally counter, re-contextualize, and archive transformative meanings and significance in public art.
Monuments
The Changing Face of Monumentality
Gay Liberation Monument (1980). By George Segal. NYC Parks and Recreation Department. Courtesy of “GAY LIBERATION MONUMENT Christopher Park” by MarianOne is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
I Am a Man Plaza (2018). By Cliff Garten. City of Memphis UrbanArt Commission. Courtesy: Jeremy Green, Lisa Buser
Absent Monuments (2018). By Rose DiSiano. City of Lewes Public Art. Courtesy of the Artist
In recent years, monuments and commemorative public art have received significant attention as communities and artists confront problematic, harmful or reductive works of art, particularly those representing historical figures or events.
Explore a diverse array of public artworks, including traditional monuments, counter-monuments, commemorative sculptures, and memorials. Some remain in public spaces, while others have been removed. Many represent traditional monuments, and others reflect the evolving nature of commemorative public art, amplifying histories and communities previously ignored or silenced.
Explore Commemorative Artworks on PAA
Accountability and Archives
As monuments or other works of public art are removed from public space, we strongly encourage commissioning organizations and artists to maintain digital records of controversial and/or removed artworks online, providing context and new perspectives on their impact. This allows the public to comprehend how, when, and why artworks transform in meaning or favor over time, while preserving and analyzing the evolving meaning and context of public art. PAA advocates for transparency and preservation when it comes to documenting the removal and replacement of monuments or other controversial works. In this way, PAA aims to be a digital space for accountability, understanding, and continued growth in public art.
Complete this form to add new information to artwork records or submit a project to the Public Art Archive.
The Light of Truth Ida B. Wells National Monument (2021). By Richard Hunt. The Ida B. Wells Commemorative Art Committee. Photo credit: Jyoti Srivastava, Copyright 2024 The Richard Hunt Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Resources
Dive into our curated collection of articles on public art monuments
- ARTFORUM: Philadelphia Courts Controversy with Commission of Harriet Tubman Statue
- Hyperallergic: The Only Five Public Statues of Historic Women in NYC
- San Francisco Chronicle: How an art installation solved the SF sculpture gap – at least for 12 hours
- ARTFORUM: The Double Consciousness of the Lincoln Memorial, Charles Gaines on narratives of slavery and abolition
- NPR: Statues of Conquistador Juan De Oñate Coe Down as New Mexico Wrestles with History
- NPR: In Alabama, A City Debates How to Depict its Past in the Present
- WPSU: Charlottesville plans to melt Robert E. Lee statue to create public art installation