Improbable Monument, Part 2

Introduction
This monument is dedicated to the Union soldiers and the slaves for whose freedom they fought. This 4 foot marble cube will have a weatherproof LED panel with touch screen capability to showcase the Civil War's main battlegrounds and the stories of famous slaves. Dred Scott comes to mind when thinking of famous slaves; In March of 1857, the United States Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, declared that all blacks - slaves as well as free - were not and could never become citizens of the United States. The court also declared the 1820 Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, thus permitting slavery in all of the country's territories.

If this monument were erected, then all could learn the history of slavery in America and about those individuals who stood out even under such abject conditions. The cube would stand in the middle of Union Square so named because it once was the site for Union soldier rallies during the war. It is my hope to reclaim the historical landmark for the purpose of education on the evils of slavery and what this country did to rectify the situation. 

Background
The idea for the monument came to me after reading abolitionist literature by Thomas Payne and after viewing the movie, Lincoln. The literature led me to the concept of a monument and my moral outrage over slavery, and the movie made me think of the Union soldiers who bravely fought for freedom for those disenfranchised people.

Estimated Costs
The amount that I estimated was based upon permits, construction materials, 20-year endowment for maintenance and conservation, leasing of land and weatherproof, touch-sensitive LED panels. The cost for the project came to $5 million. I am allotting for a security guard and for a structure to keep the monument safe from vandalizers during down time.

BADASS Exhibit by Rene Garcia, Jr. at Project One Gallery

The concept of the art knocked me off my feet. Instead of paint, there was Glitter on Panel everywhere on these huge pieces of art. The sizes varied from 2' X 4' to 8' X 6' and there was no lack of excitement. The artist is a family man with two kids and a wife, who dabbles in Graphic Art herself. When I walked into to gallery located in the Potrero Hill district, I was greeted by a Michael Jackson album insert but his head was replaced with the head of a lion. The portrait was huge (6' X 9') and breathtaking and not just for Michael Jackson fans. This was one of the few times I could take a photo with no one in front of it.

There were three panels that reminded me of Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Le Grand Jatte but I was only able to get a photo of two of them. The glitter under the lights really sparkled and made the pieces more tangible in a certain way. With all the subtlety of an acid trip through a drag queen's shoe closet, Garcia Jr.'s canvases magnify the voluptuous beauty of pop stars, horror movie monsters, and rock 'n roll.

I really enjoyed Garcia's take on the scorpion. There is a lustful element in the panel that seems to be missing from the rest of the collection. Garcia is the resident artist at Project One and Scorpion is part of the permanent collection which is his largest piece by far (8' X11'.) This piece really showcases Garcia's talent in a big way. So enjoy the collection and find it at 251 Rhode Island St. at 16th on Potrero Hill.