This rendering of the Henry Clay monument, once on the Capitol grounds, is from the exhibit at the Valentine.

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In recent years, monuments have loomed large in many Southern cities — both literally and figuratively — as citizens have debated the ways we commemorate the past.

After the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park and the white supremacist rally that followed, David Voelkel, the Valentine’s Elise H. Wright Curator of General Collections, made a decision.

The Valentine needed to weigh in on the topic and put together an exhibition investigating Richmond’s monuments. “Richmond has this really unique ability to tell the entire American story, starting from early settlement to today,” explained Valentine director William J. Martin.

While an exhibition typically takes two to three years to curate, the Valentine staff worked to put together “Monumental: Richmond’s Monuments (1607-2018)” in just six months because they felt compelled to contribute to the dialogue as soon as possible. Through a variety of media, the exhibition (which remains open through Jan. 20, 2019) urges viewers to consider how and why we commemorate the past and what gets included or left out.

Cultural and historical context

Upon first entering the exhibition space, visitors are greeted with two video screens. The two videos, in parts one and two, provide detailed information about each monument, ranging from the Newport Cross, first erected in 1607 and then rebuilt in 1907, to the Abraham Lincoln monument created for the American Civil War Museum in 2003.

The videos include historical context about the person or event represented and information about the artist. The text also provides details about when the monument was built and who was instrumental in its appearance to help viewers understand whose voices have been included or left out in our public commemoration of our history.

“Monumental” also includes thought-provoking wall text about topics like the Lost Cause movement, which romanticized the “Old South,” and the City Beautiful movement, an organized urban planning movement from the early 1900s.

Other objects include souvenirs that commemorate historical events, as well as photographs that encourage viewers to see the monuments we drive by every day in a slightly new way.

That, in essence, is the role of this exhibition. As Richmonders, we are so used to seeing the monuments surrounding us we don’t always think about what they say about our society and its values. “Monumental” provides an opportunity to better understand why the monuments are there and reflect on what they mean to the community.

Even Martin experienced a revelation as the exhibition was being developed. “I hadn’t really thought about the visual vocabulary used for monuments,” he said. “The first monuments for the Civil War were about loss. But the further out you go, the more mythologizing, and the more it becomes about heroes.”

Visitors weigh in

One of the exhibition labels asks, “Where Do We Go From Here?” and highlights another purpose of the exhibition: “We hope that Monumental helps visitors find their place in this complex debate and can inspire informed, civil discussions about these difficult topics.” The museum invites visitors to share their thoughts on Post-it notes that hang on the windows.

Many exhibit visitors have weighed in on how the monuments make them feel, and whether they think the monuments should remain or be taken down. Some visitors voiced that there should not be any public monuments.

On the other hand, one visitor wrote, “Three generations of my family lived on Monument Avenue at Meadow and Monument. I have a reverence for the monuments and the artists who created them. Let’s add context in the 21st century.”

Another wrote, “They are just statues — they don’t make me feel anything. It’s silly to tbut should be celebrated and remembered.”

Shaping the future

Part two of the “Monumental” exhibition, which will open in February 2019, will present entries from a national design competition that provides an opportunity for artists to conceptually re-imagine Monument Avenue. The Valentine is collaborating with VCU School of the Arts and the Storefront for Community Design to invite artists to contribute to the nation’s dialogue on race, memory, the urban landscape, and public art.

Although many people likely think about the Valentine in terms of its role in preserving the past, through this exhibition, it is working to help shape the future.

“Traditional institutions need to make these ideas relevant,” Martin said. “We need to move forward and now think about how we deal with the legacy of these monuments in light of what we have learned about our community.”

The Valentine is located at 1015 E. Clay St., Richmond. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults ($8 for those 55 and over). To learn more, see www.thevalentine.org or call (804) 649-0711.