trolls

As with any public art, there have been trolls, and cheap shot media who cover them.

We had design applications from 130 art teams from across the world when we worked to find a designer for this project. Our distinguished art commmittee poured through all applications, and eventually narrowed the list down to five teams. We paid each team $10K to develop concepts. We then put their proposals at the Bollings building in Roxbury and at the Boston Public Library to solicit public input. Over 1,000 people wrote in, and The Embrace became the clear favorite.

I think the art is gorgeous even in 2D, but to really get the full effect of it, you have to visit the memorial, walk around it, and walk through it.

Here is what my artist friend Thom Egan says about the trolls:

People will ALWAYS criticize works-of-art. Especially public-art. Remember: when the French gave the US the Statue-of-Liberty, it was HATED. It was intended to be placed in Washington DC, but, conservative uptight politicians were freaked-out by it and REFUSED to let it be in DC. They called it "pagan" because it was statue of a WOMAN... a POWERFUL woman, and, that scared American MEN. So, it sat in storage, until NYC took it. But, even in NYC, they only allowed it on an ISLAND, a mile away from Manhattan. Unimaginable today, because it is now BELOVED. It's the same with the MLK memorial. It is electric & it is ALIVE. And long after you & I are gone, it'll STILL be powerful! How amazing is THAT! Bravo, for being undaunted, Paul! It is INCREDIBLE!

See also Charles Blow.