| Following a decade of approval hurdles, construction on the monument is expected to start in April, the 40th anniversary of King's 1968 assassination, and completed the following year. But now it faces criticism by African American artists, U.S. granite workers and others who are angry about the sculptor chosen as the lead artist, both because of his nationality and his history as an artist.
Protesters also say American granite rather than Chinese granite should be used for the sculpture.
Sculptor Lei Yixin of Changsha, China, is one of China's pre-eminent artists and has done government-commissioned pieces of Chinese national figures. He was chosen in February by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Project, whose officials discovered him at a Minnesota stone-carving symposium in 2006.
The California NAACP is the first chapter of the civil rights organization to pass a resolution condemning the choice, calling it a decision to "outsource the production of the monument to Dr. King to the People's Republic of China, the country with the worst record of human rights violations and civil rights abuses in the world."
Lei is "renowned for his many sculptures and busts glorifying Mao Zedong, murderer of 70 million innocent Chinese, which is in direct opposition to Dr. King's philosophy and to the ideal of positive social change throughout the world," states the California organization's resolution, passed last month.
It's difficult to argue with this protest. I find it both legitimate and unfortunately moot.
There was a time when the exclusion of such an artist or company was normal political statement in America. But today, through normalizations and trade agreements, the all too common human rights abuses and poor labor standards which result in lead paint in children's toys this Christmas are political reality no longer up for debate.
Still, other more racially selfish protesters say an African American artist should have been commissioned as the lead artist.
Atlanta artist Gilbert Young said he started his petition campaign asking project officials to reconsider their selection of the artist last spring after he heard about the selection on television. He contacted civil rights organizations and American granite vendors. Hundreds of people have signed the petition at his website, www.kingisours.com.
"I do not think that anyone outside of my immediate community should have been looked at first. We need a black artist to interpret Dr. King and a black name at the base of the monument, because he died for us."
Did he die for Black people like Young and myself? I'd like to think his sacrifice was not that narrow, I appreciate that he died so that everyone in this country can have freedom, justice and equality under the law?
I admit that I am not the least bit interested in art, sculpture or anything of that sort so I could honestly care less, who builds the monument on the national mall from an artistic prespective.
I look forward to visiting the monument, reading selected quotes from Dr. King's many speeches and possibly holding back a tear or two.
It has never once occurred to me to think of who built the Lincoln or Washington memorial, and I cant imagine pondering the nationality of King's.
It is the monument itself that I will cherish, just like the Whitehouse which was built by slaves.
In response to the criticism, the memorial's organizers said the project is a team effort. Two African American artists and an African American architectural firm are contributing to the project.
"Dr. King was an international hero. We searched the world looking for a sculptor who could do this work in granite and stone," Harry E. Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the memorial project, said in a phone interview from China, where he was visiting for a look at a clay model of the sculpture. "I respect the NAACP's right to protest, but they need to review all the facts. There are no African American sculptors that do this type of work in granite.
I say none are needed, but the oft-Chinese government commissioned sculptor does present serious credibility problems, not that the country cares. |
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