Women's Monument (Con't)
They were Virginians. Or what about Nancy Astor, Patsy Cline, and Katie Couric? What about the women of Virginia?
Determined to remedy this oversight, Em Bowles Locker Alsop and the Friends of Virginia History brought it to the attention of Virginia’s General Assembly in 2010, and a motion granting the construction of a women’s monument was approved.
Choosing the site of the future monument was easy—the grounds of Capitol Square already have several monuments and there are plenty of open areas. Overseeing the selection, funding, and erection of a monument, however, is a daunting task. To accomplish all this, a committee was formed consisting of nineteen (now eighteen) members with Secretary of Administration Lisa Hicks-Thomas as its chair.
The first order of business was determining exactly what Virginians wished to see in this new monument. Over the course of several months, the committee traveled
around the state, from Radford University to Fairfax County, James Madison University to Danville, holding open discussions where men and women of all ages could give their input. Numbering nine all together, these “community conversations” were full of opinions, all important and often contradictory. In fact, one of the only common threads, according to Secretary Hicks-Thomas, was “No horses!” Understandable.
On July 10, 2012, the committee sent out a Request For Proposals (RFP) to foundries, sculpture magazines, and art schools nationwide, asking artists to submit their ideas and designs. According to the RFP, the monument’s purpose is to “stand as a reminder of the vital roles—both symbolic and specific—that women have played in Virginia history,” as well as to “educate and inspire future generations of Virginians.” It further stipulates that its design must be in the vein of the other monuments in
Capitol Square and should not in any way compete with the equestrian statue of George Washington, the courtyard’s focal point. Otherwise, the artists were granted total creative freedom.
The response was more encouraging than the committee expected. The number and variety of the proposals were so great—a total of thirty-five submissions, including international ones from Spain and the Ukraine—that the committee postponed the Finalist Notification Date in order to give each submission the consideration it deserved. Secretary Hicks-Thomas was reluctant to divulge any specific design details, but she did confirm the designs pretty much ran the gamut regarding style, theme,
and medium.
A smaller, executive committee reviewed the submissions and interviewed artists on December 7, 2012, in order to better understand their individual visions and goals for the project. Finalists were chosen and commissioned to provide sketches and models of their proposal, then a winner was announced in late March, Women’s History Month.
Congratulations to StudioEIS of Brooklyn, New York, and The 1717 Design Group, Inc. of Richmond, Virginia, whose design was unanimously chosen by the Commission. The Monument's oval-garden design includes elements of sculpture and landscaping that will provide visitors an interactive and educational experience.
Now the real work begins. This monument may be a state-approved endeavor, but it will be privately funded. The estimated cost of the project is $2 million. Secretary
Hicks-Thomas isn’t worried about raising the money, though; the enthusiasm shown during the initial community conversations was encouraging and she is confident
it will assert itself when the time comes to ask for donations.
The Library of Virginia is also expected to be helpful in this regard. While it has an annual program every March to honor Women’s History Month, the organization has plans to contribute an “educational component” to accompany the monument. While the details and medium have yet to be determined, the intent is to augment the information depicted by the monument and offer sources for further study to those who might be interested.
A final completion date is hard to pin down due to vagaries securing proper funding, but you can rest assured the undertaking is in capable and passionate hands. For more information on the progress of the monument and how to donate, click here.
Determined to remedy this oversight, Em Bowles Locker Alsop and the Friends of Virginia History brought it to the attention of Virginia’s General Assembly in 2010, and a motion granting the construction of a women’s monument was approved.
Choosing the site of the future monument was easy—the grounds of Capitol Square already have several monuments and there are plenty of open areas. Overseeing the selection, funding, and erection of a monument, however, is a daunting task. To accomplish all this, a committee was formed consisting of nineteen (now eighteen) members with Secretary of Administration Lisa Hicks-Thomas as its chair.
The first order of business was determining exactly what Virginians wished to see in this new monument. Over the course of several months, the committee traveled
around the state, from Radford University to Fairfax County, James Madison University to Danville, holding open discussions where men and women of all ages could give their input. Numbering nine all together, these “community conversations” were full of opinions, all important and often contradictory. In fact, one of the only common threads, according to Secretary Hicks-Thomas, was “No horses!” Understandable.
On July 10, 2012, the committee sent out a Request For Proposals (RFP) to foundries, sculpture magazines, and art schools nationwide, asking artists to submit their ideas and designs. According to the RFP, the monument’s purpose is to “stand as a reminder of the vital roles—both symbolic and specific—that women have played in Virginia history,” as well as to “educate and inspire future generations of Virginians.” It further stipulates that its design must be in the vein of the other monuments in
Capitol Square and should not in any way compete with the equestrian statue of George Washington, the courtyard’s focal point. Otherwise, the artists were granted total creative freedom.
The response was more encouraging than the committee expected. The number and variety of the proposals were so great—a total of thirty-five submissions, including international ones from Spain and the Ukraine—that the committee postponed the Finalist Notification Date in order to give each submission the consideration it deserved. Secretary Hicks-Thomas was reluctant to divulge any specific design details, but she did confirm the designs pretty much ran the gamut regarding style, theme,
and medium.
A smaller, executive committee reviewed the submissions and interviewed artists on December 7, 2012, in order to better understand their individual visions and goals for the project. Finalists were chosen and commissioned to provide sketches and models of their proposal, then a winner was announced in late March, Women’s History Month.
Congratulations to StudioEIS of Brooklyn, New York, and The 1717 Design Group, Inc. of Richmond, Virginia, whose design was unanimously chosen by the Commission. The Monument's oval-garden design includes elements of sculpture and landscaping that will provide visitors an interactive and educational experience.
Now the real work begins. This monument may be a state-approved endeavor, but it will be privately funded. The estimated cost of the project is $2 million. Secretary
Hicks-Thomas isn’t worried about raising the money, though; the enthusiasm shown during the initial community conversations was encouraging and she is confident
it will assert itself when the time comes to ask for donations.
The Library of Virginia is also expected to be helpful in this regard. While it has an annual program every March to honor Women’s History Month, the organization has plans to contribute an “educational component” to accompany the monument. While the details and medium have yet to be determined, the intent is to augment the information depicted by the monument and offer sources for further study to those who might be interested.
A final completion date is hard to pin down due to vagaries securing proper funding, but you can rest assured the undertaking is in capable and passionate hands. For more information on the progress of the monument and how to donate, click here.