Future Histories: The Case for Creative Commemoration

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Reclaim? Recontextualize? Relocate? Remove? What should we do with monuments that no longer reflect our shared history and collective values (or never did to begin with)? Long before our current reckoning with racism, artists, activists, and members of the public have creatively reclaimed and reframed monuments that embody histories and systems of oppression. What lessons can we learn from their approaches—and what questions should we be asking ourselves—as we imagine new futures for our region’s commemorative landscape and public spaces? And how can we create space for difficult conversations as we consider whose stories and experiences are missing from our public spaces? Join us for a conversation among artists, educators, and activists exploring how creative commemoration can help us see the past and present in a new light—and chart a path toward more just futures. 
 

Guest speakers: 

• Dr. Renée Ater, Provost’s Visiting Professor in Africana Studies, Brown University (2020-2021) 
• Becci Davis, Visual Artist and Educator; Adjunct Lecturer in Visual Art at Brown University 
• Mel Isidor, Principal Designer at Isidor Studio, MIT Master of City Planning Candidate, 2022

This event is part of Public Art, Public Memory, a discussion series co-hosted by NEFA’s Public Art team and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Arts and Culture Department. This series explores the role that planners, artists, and community leaders can play in cultivating more just and inclusive public spaces through public art and collective memory.