NAMA Notebook: Beyond Granite

vanessa german's sculpture Of Thee We Sing, part of the temporary art exhibition Beyond Granite from August - September 2023

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Welcome to the new school year! Hope you all had a relaxing summer!

We here at the National Mall had a busy summer working with teachers from around the nation, sharing stories about the park and preparing for some new programs. We look forward to meeting with students and teachers throughout the school year to connect park resources to your school curriculum.

Beyond Granite: Pulling Together
Temporary Art Exhibit

NAMA had a special opportunity in 2023 to explore temporary art installations in the park. Beyond Granite: Pulling Together was a curated outdoor exhibition presented by the Trust for the National Mall in partnership with the National Capital Planning Commission and the National Park Service. The exhibition featured special works of art, performances, and programs on the National Mall.

The project asked contributing artists to answer this question: “What stories remain untold on the National Mall?” Six pieces of art were displayed throughout the park that highlighted different stories. One installation honored Marian Anderson, the singer who performed on the Lincoln Memorial steps in 1939, after being denied the chance to perform in nearby Constitution Hall because of her race. The sculpture titled Of Thee We Sing by vanessa german was placed near the Lincoln Memorial.

Three views of The Soil You See by Wendy Red Star, part of the Beyond Granite temporary art exhibition on the National Mall from August - September 2023

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Wendy Red Star's piece The Soil You See...was a large fingerprint including the names of Crow Nation Chiefs who signed treaties with the U.S. government, located right near the memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Here location played a role in the story connecting the temporary artwork to the existing space. Not only is the design important, but also where in the landscape the piece sits, especially in so prominent a place as the National Mall.

I’ve been struck by the question posed by this project: what stories remain untold on the National Mall? This is another way of asking who or what should have a memorial. As educators here, we spend a lot of time teaching students about the memorials that do exist. What a powerful question to think about what stories aren’t being told. The National Park Service has made a concerted effort to make sure the parks represent all Americans, but I wonder how students would respond.

Design a Memorial Activity

Pose the question to students. What people or events should be memorialized?

Years ago, we worked with a local school that had students work on this project. The middle schoolers were tasked with choosing a topic for a memorial. There was a rubric that identified required elements. It was a truly multi-disciplinary assignment, as they needed to incorporate multiple subjects. Students chose a subject from the history curriculum, then wrote a persuasive piece convincing people to visit their new creation. Then they constructed their memorial designs. Rangers went to the school to view the displays and talk to students about their proposed memorials. It was a neat project to be a part of. I’ve seen it done with elementary students as well.

Three student-designed memorial projects for Central High School, Queen Liliuokalani, and Rosie the Riveter

NPS

Monument Lab, one of the partners involved in the Beyond Granite project, developed a great resource for students to explore monuments. Use it for national memorials or those in your community.

If you’d like to do a memorials project, let us know! We’d be glad to help with an introductory lesson about memorials to get students thinking about ideas and symbolism at memorials. Share their creations with us as well. We would love to see what students are thinking about today when it comes to remembering people and events.

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