Earlier this month, the art scene in Los Angeles buzzed with anticipation as the exhibition titled “Monuments” debuted at the Geffen Contemporary Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). This groundbreaking showcase features a striking juxtaposition of decommissioned Confederate statues alongside works from contemporary artists, fostering a conversation about history, memory, and racial identity. Alongside this major venue, another hub for artistic expression, The Brick, situated on Western Avenue, is also hosting important pieces from the exhibition, nestled between a Buddhist temple and an avant-garde theater.
As I attended the LACMA Art+Film Gala, I seized the opportunity to visit The Brick. Upon arrival, visitors were led through a security protocol reminiscent of a high-stakes event, revealing the contentious nature of the exhibition. At the core of The Brick stands Unmanned Drone, a compelling sculpture created by the acclaimed artist Kara Walker. This piece reinterprets a statue of Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, which had been removed in after a century of standing as a symbol of the Lost Cause narrative in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The transformation of Confederate symbols
Kara Walker’s artistic vision allows for a radical reimagining of Jackson and his mount, Little Sorrel. Through a process of disassembly and reconstruction, she presents a twisted yet captivating figure that confronts viewers with the grotesque legacy of historical monuments. Walker inquires in her exhibition notes, “What to do with a decommissioned monument?” She identifies a critical dilemma for artists: to ignore the monument or to destroy it outright. Instead, she embraces a third path—reconfiguring these remnants of history into new forms that challenge their original meanings.
The haunting quality of Walker’s work lingered with me throughout the weekend, echoing the impact of her previous monumental piece, A Subtlety, which was a profound commentary on race and identity. Installed in a former sugar factory in Brooklyn, it presented a massive sphinx-like figure that reframed the stereotype of the Southern Black woman in a complex and thought-provoking manner.
Curatorship and historical context
Upon visiting the Geffen Contemporary, I encountered Hamza Walker—no relation to Kara—who is both the director of The Brick and a co-curator of the “Monuments” exhibition, alongside Bennett Simpson, MOCA’s senior curator. They were positioned by a granite remnant from a once towering statue of Robert E. Lee, now a canvas for graffiti from the protests of. This piece serves as an archaeological artifact, facilitating discussions around the intersections of art and activism.
Hamza explained that the exhibition’s concept traces back to the tragic events of the 2015 shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This heinous act, perpetrated by a white supremacist, ignited debates on the appropriateness of Confederate symbols in public spaces. The 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville marked a pivotal moment, where a protest against the removal of the Lee statue turned deadly, further intensifying the national conversation about the legacy of these monuments.
Contemporary responses to historical narratives
The aftermath of such events saw a wave of municipalities reconsidering their Confederate monuments. In, following years of activism, the statues of Lee and Jackson were finally dismantled in Charlottesville. Walker’s acquisition of the Jackson statue from a Los Angeles nonprofit symbolizes a shift toward thoughtful artistic discourse surrounding these historical figures.
Interestingly, while some statues are being restored—such as the reinstallation of a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike in Washington, D.C.—others face destruction or transformation. The speed at which these restorations occur raises questions about societal values and the messages being sent regarding history.
Art as a medium of discourse
Simpson noted that the intent of the “Monuments” exhibition is not to romanticize these statues but to confront their implications head-on. “We’ve brought in elements from about 10 or 11 Confederate monuments, complemented by works from 19 contemporary artists,” he shared. This binary presentation invites complex interpretations that challenge the viewer’s preconceived notions.
Among the commissioned works is a striking series of paintings by Walter Price, who draws upon his military background to explore the themes of heritage and identity. Nearby, Karon Davis presents a poignant piece featuring a depiction of her son with a toy soldier, connecting personal history with broader narratives of conflict.
In conclusion, the “Monuments” exhibition serves as a vital exploration of how society manages its historical narratives through art. By placing Confederate statues within a contemporary framework, curators Hamza Walker and Bennett Simpson invite us to engage with the complexities of our past, prompting reflection on the meanings these objects carry in the present.