Another 'Artist' Is At Work in Chicago and she Doesn't Like George Washington
As Chicago rethinks its monuments, an artist surrounds George Washington with ‘Other Washingtons’
As Chicago rethinks its monuments, an artist surrounds George Washington with ‘Other Washingtons’
(Somehow calling oneself an artist is a license to vandalize, litter, and destroy. By their standards, my neighbors dog becomes one helluva an artist every night before trash day… - DD)
(Jacqui Palumbo, CNN) - In Chicago, a lone statue of George Washington is now surrounded by “Other Washingtons,” which take the form of blue flags bearing the faces of Black Americans who bear the same last name. They include a range of notable figures and local heroes, such as the inventor George Washington Carver, Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington, architect Roberta Washington, and South Side school band leader Benjamin Washington.
Who is worthy of a monument? That question circulated across the United States six years ago as the country reckoned with racial injustice in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, including who is represented by, or excluded from, our public symbols. Statues of controversial figures were vandalized and taken down, with more than 160 Confederate works removed from public spaces in 2020.
Chicago has offered its own answer: to commission new monuments or respond to existing ones, based on internal research that found the city had gaps in representation of gender and race. This year, its Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is unveiling a spate of new…
