Monument Proposals

What kinds of monuments do we need in New York City?

Students create speculative monument proposals to think about the ways that the pre-modern world (and the modes by which different actors remember it) matter today. Through these proposals, students consider the diversity of the ancient world while contributing to conversations around equity and inclusion in the academy, history, and public space. Ultimately, this exercise highlights the ways that creative action allows us to imagine new futures and public spaces by addressing the following concerns:

• Who or what would you want to honor?
• Where would you want to set up your monument?
• What will it look like? What materials? Size? Shape? Is it a performance, projection, inflatable, fountain?
• How would you involve local communities in the decision-making process?
• How do you imagine publics engaging with the monument?

Explore the monument proposals envisioned and created by Gallatin students by clicking through below!