Public Monuments & Private Commissions
The county-wide 2018 Bicentennial Frederick Douglass celebrations in Rochester, NY gave birth to the "Re-Energizing the Legacy of Frederick Douglass" Project, that included school readings of Douglass' autobiography, Lighting up of the 1899 Douglass monument at highland Park, the moving of the 1899 statue to a more prominent position on Robinson and South Ave, time capsule, exhibitions, lectures, discussions, justice, and statue project.
For RCTV Media Center, Artist Olivia Kim of Olivia Kim Studio directed over 200 volunteers to make 17 statues of Douglass. Thirteen statues were displayed publicly for 5 years throughout Rochester, marking places of historical significance. Two were commissioned by a private collector and St John Fisher & the University of Rochester's Memorial Art Gallery. World renowned dance choreographer Garth Fagan commissioned a statue to become part of his dance tribute to Douglass "The North Star."
Since then, the project has evolved through many stages, including: vandalizations that brought out national discussions for the protection of public art, public outcry and healing process through events and discussions, activation of justice, renaming of the Rochester Airport to the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, making of the bronze version of the "Re-Energizing the Legacy of Frederick Douglass" statue (2022) for the Rochester Airport, the bronze monument "Salt of the Earth, Light of the World" (Douglass and Lincoln shaking hands during their secret 1864 meeting to end the Civil War), on Exchange St, Rochester (2023)
Now, the project is moving to an even greater phase- the unity of humanity through Freedom on a planetary scale through the "Building Strong Children" statue project.
Olivia will make bronze statues of Anna Murray Douglass and five children to go with the bronze Douglass made in 2022 for the newly named Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International airport. To help spread the word, and to support this initiative, see: https://www.rctvmediacenter.org/frederickdouglass
for recent project details and to donate to the "Building Strong Children" statue project.
You can also enter the Frederick Douglass "Freedom Is" Contests at: https://www.rctvmediacenter.org/freedomis
Links to Contest Guidelines and "freedom Is" Creativity Sheets on home page of this website.