“If you see me, then weep” is an English translation of the German “Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine.” These words are carved into a centuries-old hunger stone, or a stone monolith left to weather at the bottom of the Elbe River and discovered in 2022, when the water receded to levels not seen in a hundred years or more. The dire warning is evocative, the use of “if” signaling to the reader that the “me” may never be seen.
A Long Walk Home (ALWH), an arts organization that empowers young people to end violence against girls and women, is building an enduring monument to honor Rekia Boyd and Black Girlhood within Chicago’s Douglass Park in the North Lawndale neighborhood.
There is a name in the Haitian Creole language for women like Naomieh Jovin's mother: “Gwo Fanm.” Literally, “Big Woman,” a Gwo Fanm is a woman who stands out in life and stands up for the ones she loves. Centering around the women in her family as well as her own role in her family’s history, Jovin's Gwo Fanm photo essay consists of found images, original photography, audio interviews, and installations.
The gruesome monstrosity of whiteness undergirds America’s systems—haunting its public spaces, pedestals, and policies. Where do we go from here? This essay was originally published by Monument Lab on October 31, 2020. Since then, the monument of Robert E. Lee in Richmond was removed by the state in September 2021.
Unsettling Grounds is an augmented reality (AR) exhibition and interactive storytelling tool showcasing experimental and monumental works by Black, Brown, Indigenous, and rural artists. Inspired by Historic Woolen Mills in Charlottesville, Virginia, Unsettling Grounds invites audiences to uncover hidden histories of lesser-known struggles for freedom. Lead artist Marisa Williamson and Black cultural theorist Charles Athanasopoulos reflect on Unsettling Grounds as an artistic practice that haunts Charlottesville and narratives of its history.