If You Build The Dream...

Over fifteen million pilgrims of liberty pour into Washington, D.C. each year. They seek the Smithsonian…and the stone monuments that characterize the American Dream – that will to break free from the shackles of oppression, that independence to choose for yourself, and that ability to take a piece of Her and make your home here. These tourists, fine Americans and international fans of Bravery and Freedom, spend $5 billion annually for proverbial tickets to the Concert for George. And everyone from the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation to the National Capital Planning Commission listens to those dollars.

The voice of the people said, “give us more outdoor-park-like-fountain-wall-engraved-quotes-sculpture-ridden memorials.”

In fact, among the top ten most visited places in The District are the WWII, Korean War, Vietnam Veterans, and FDR Memorials. Gone are the days when Greek-Classical temples stood singing the epic stories which shaped our nation’s rich past. The new emblem of patriotic tribute is a hardscape plaza lined with trees-in-bloom, the names and words of noble men, and an avant-garde art program.

When executed properly, the combination can be breathtaking.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the finest example of this modern memorial architecture. Its symbolic form is reinforced by the literal gravity of the names of the departed whose grief sinks The Wall into an earthen channel – akin to the trenches many soldiers occupied while paying the highest price for our freedom. The majestic stone finish reflects the highest art of all: the city itself.

Similarly, the World War II Memorial honors the Veterans of European and Pacific campaigns with physical statements of strength, courage, and the grace of God. The sculptures are aesthetically and structurally resolved and supportive to the overall message. The Korean War Memorial has always been a personal favorite – a tender, human take on the experience of combat and the time in between firefights. The FDR Memorial is not as cohesive; the sculptural program can be ambiguous or crude and the plaza sprawls beyond a distinguishable region. But it makes up for its flaws in gorgeous rusticated fountains and picturesque views.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial follows a like pattern though it falls short of even the merits of FDR. As a matter of opinion, the symmetrical plan is in poor taste. As a matter of fact, however, the crux of the design is tasteless. The focal point of the plaza is a sculpted gate. The gate is a granite hump, from which a portion is sliced away and placed several paces toward the Tidal Basin. The hump is called the Mountain of Despair, and its comical proportions do not remind the visitor of topography or sadness. The slice, which allows visitors to enter the plaza, is called the Stone of Hope. The Stone from the Mountain is a sort of cutesy clichéd distortion of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The Stone, actually the pinnacle of the Mountain, bears quotes on its flanks as it spawns a likeness of Dr. King on the façade facing the water.

No doubt, you are aware of the controversy already. The sculptor is Chinese and so is the granite – in true modern fashion the piece is being Made in China as well. African American Artist and memorial statue All-Star Ed Dwight originally selected Lei Yixin to sculpt the Mountain, Stone and King’s likeness. Yixin was chosen because apparently African American sculptors (by survey) are unaccomplished in granite sculture. But after seeing study models of Yixin’s proposal, Ed Dwight and others are having second thoughts.

For one, Dr. King was a sharp dresser, and Yixin can’t quite do the civil rights activist’s wardrobe justice (please excuse the use of the word…I couldn’t help it). The suit is plain and ill-fitting, nevermind that it emerges awkwardly at the knees from the Stone of Hope. Yixin was also working from a photograph printed backwards, which lead him to place a pen in King’s left hand even thought he was a righty. In general, it is just not that great of a representation. The nation deserves better. King, who gave so much for his cause, ought to be sculpted as elegantly as Lincoln – a true account of the potent expression that can emanate from a mere mortal.

Executive Architect (not design architect, mind you), Dr. Ed Jackson, Jr., ordered several changes himself after seeing the study model. Yixin’s touch will be augmented by two African-American artists(Jon Lockard and Ed Hamilton) to ensure the accuracy of King’s image. Among other things, a creased forehead was cited to be replaced with a more gently facial expression. The bitter-faced-black-man image was not considered iconic of Dr. King. Furthermore, critics were weary of parallels between the King statue and Yixin’s representations of Chairman Mao. Realistically, however, King was a man of passion – prone to anger and action. After all, if King were a man of gentle disposition…let’s just say there’d have been a lot less marching.

The overall proposal still lacks even if the sculpture was perfect. The park setting is billed as a gathering place for the neighborhood, with ample seating and pretty views. Architects always thing what they are doing is gonna be great, but face the facts: literally NO ONE not dropped off by a Tourmobile will be engaging a lunchtime stroll around the Tidal Basin. The monuments that wrap it are so far off the grid that it’s a chore to visit them by foot.

This park model of memorial design is insensitive. Wall fountains do not ease the sweltering pain of the humid Washington summer. Cheap art may be in style, but quality never gets old. For a deeper look please visit kingisours.com. AWS