The Monuments exhibit is a collection of Confederate monuments that have been removed from public spaces in the United States. The exhibit features 68 monuments, including those from Charlottesville, Virginia, where two statues were taken down in 2017 after a deadly white nationalist rally.
The exhibit is curated by Hamza Walker and Kara Walker, who are both artists and activists who have been involved in the removal of Confederate monuments. The exhibit includes monuments that have been melted down, destroyed, or recontextualized as art.
One of the most powerful rooms in the exhibit features Jon Henry's series of photographs of Black mothers cradling their still-living sons as if they were already dead. Across from these photographs is a 1917 sculpture of a larger-than-life white woman cradling a Confederate soldier, which was sponsored in part by the Daughters of the Confederacy.
The exhibit also features Karon Davis's sculpture of her son, Moses, holding a tiny sculpture of a Confederate general by the tail of his horse. This work was inspired by Davis being told that her own Black family is descended from a Confederate general and enslaver, John Hunt Morgan.
Kara Walker has transformed the Confederate monument into an "unmanned drone" using bronze and granite. The original statue was cut into its predetermined pieces to fit through the foundry's door, but in doing so, it was also transformed into something new.
The exhibit is a powerful critique of the legacy of slavery and racism in the United States, and it challenges visitors to think about the ways in which Confederate monuments have been used to perpetuate white supremacy. By recontextualizing these monuments as art, Walker and her collaborators aim to subvert their original intention and to create new meanings that are more inclusive and just.
The exhibit is curated by Hamza Walker and Kara Walker, who are both artists and activists who have been involved in the removal of Confederate monuments. The exhibit includes monuments that have been melted down, destroyed, or recontextualized as art.
One of the most powerful rooms in the exhibit features Jon Henry's series of photographs of Black mothers cradling their still-living sons as if they were already dead. Across from these photographs is a 1917 sculpture of a larger-than-life white woman cradling a Confederate soldier, which was sponsored in part by the Daughters of the Confederacy.
The exhibit also features Karon Davis's sculpture of her son, Moses, holding a tiny sculpture of a Confederate general by the tail of his horse. This work was inspired by Davis being told that her own Black family is descended from a Confederate general and enslaver, John Hunt Morgan.
Kara Walker has transformed the Confederate monument into an "unmanned drone" using bronze and granite. The original statue was cut into its predetermined pieces to fit through the foundry's door, but in doing so, it was also transformed into something new.
The exhibit is a powerful critique of the legacy of slavery and racism in the United States, and it challenges visitors to think about the ways in which Confederate monuments have been used to perpetuate white supremacy. By recontextualizing these monuments as art, Walker and her collaborators aim to subvert their original intention and to create new meanings that are more inclusive and just.
this exhibit is lowkey mindblowing... like how they took all those monuments from public spaces and turned them into somethin' else entirely? it's like Kara Walker and Hamza Walker did some kinda dark magic on 'em 
. and I love how the artists are using these Confederate symbols to show us how messed up our history is 
. it's not just about takin' down statues, it's about makin' us confront the pain of slavery and racism in our country. 
we need more people like Kara Walker who's willin' to get real and challenge our comfort zones 
. anyway, I'm definitely gonna check out this exhibit when it comes to my city 
It's wild that Kara Walker is using her art to not only critique the legacy of slavery but also to humanize Black life. And I love how she's using bronze and granite to create this "unmanned drone" – it's like she's saying, "This statue doesn't have a soul, but our lives do." 
Stats show it's mainly older folks who support keeping them, meanwhile younger generations are all about dismantling the legacy of slavery.
If you check out the website, there's a ton of data and visuals explaining the whole history behind these monuments. One thing that really stuck with me is how some of these statues were actually made by companies that profited off slavery... wild, right? 
. It's time to change the narrative, for real 
.
. I love how Karon Davis is reclaiming her heritage and turning it into something beautiful, it gives me hope for a better future.
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. It's like how our histories have been distorted to fit this toxic narrative of American exceptionalism.
. And can we talk about how it makes me think about my own ancestors' histories? Like, did they ever even get a seat at the table when it came to American history?! I need to learn more... like, now 
the way they're using these Confederate monuments as a commentary on systemic racism is so powerful 
it's like she's taking something that was meant to celebrate white supremacy and turning it into a critique of it. 
the way they're using the photographs of Black mothers with still-living sons as a counterpoint to these monuments is especially striking 
it's like they're saying, 'we're not gonna let your legacy define us'. 
this exhibit is like a punch to the gut, you know? it's like they're wakin' up everyone who's been livin' in denial about the ugliness of America's past. i mean, 68 monuments removed from public spaces? that's not just takin' down statues, that's takin' down history. and the way Kara Walker and Hamza are doin' it is genius - like, literally melting these symbols down into somethin' new and beautiful. 
but at the same time, it's like they're makin' us confront our own privilege and complicity in perpetuatin' this racist system. i'm not sure if i'd be comfortable lookin' at all of these monuments, but that's because i know what they represent. 
. And I love how they're recontextualizing these statues as art, turning them on their head like that. It's so powerful. I mean, have you seen Jon Henry's photos? They're haunting. And Kara Walker's drone statue? Genius 
. She basically turned the original into a metaphor for the ways in which our history is always being rewritten and reinterpreted. The exhibit is more than just a collection of statues; it's an experience that makes you think about your own privilege and how it affects people. You gotta see it to believe it 
. It's like you're forced to confront the reality of what's been done to Black families. But at the same time, I think it's beautiful that these monuments are being turned into something new... like art can be a form of liberation 
but now we have this exhibit featuring all these monuments just lying around, like what are we supposed to do with them? Kara Walker is a genius, tho - taking something so messed up and turning it into art that makes you feel all sorts of emotions 
. By turning these monuments into art pieces, she's making us confront the dark history of slavery and racism in the US. It's time we acknowledged our past and work towards a more inclusive future 
. Can't wait to see what other unexpected twists this exhibit has in store for us 
Is it just gonna get put in a museum and become some sort of 'artistic statement'? 
. It's like, we're supposed to be learning from our history, not using it to perpetuate hate. I love how this exhibit is forcing us to confront our own biases and think about what we really want to celebrate 