Even before a dedication scheduled for August 28, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is generating controversy. Lei Yixin, a Chinese national who has also crafted statues of Mao Zedong, was chosen to carve the statue of King. Many were critical of this choice, saying that an African-America, or at least an American, should have been selected. Officials from the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation have defended the choice of Lei, saying that there was no African-American sculptor who could carve a 30-foot statue in granite. (Ed Dwight, an African-American sculptor who lives in Denver was in the running, but was eventually eliminated).
Putting aside the nationality of the sculptor, it’s more difficult to dismiss complaints that King, a labor rights activist, would have been upset having his image carved by workers living under China’s repressive regime. (The statue was carved in China and shipped in pieces to the U.S.). The counter argument, of course, is that King’s influence is felt world-wide and he is considered a source of inspiration for oppressed persons everywhere. Perhaps those working on the statue in China were thus inspired.
The final statue, however, is a disappointment. King’s likeness, emerging from the Stone of Hope, is big and imposing, but it is not by any means a good likeness of King. Worse yet, the statute fails to convey King’s personality or charm. (The fact that he is shown stone-faced with arms crossed, conveys a feeling of confrontation, rather than harmony).
Compare the King Memorial to the nearby Lincoln Memorial. That monument’s massive popularity (besides its popular subject matter), owes much to how sculptor Daniel Chester French managed to capture multiple expressions in stone. From every angle, Lincoln’s face seems to change a bit, showing yet another aspect of our sixteenth president. Daniel Chester French has long been buried, but surely those responsible for the King memorial could have found someone who could have done right by the iconic King.
The other elements of the Memorial aren’t bad; in fact, they’re all rather lovely. Walking through the great granite columns conveys a sense of grandeur and longevity. The 450-foot Inscription Wall boasts King’s notable quotes and each one makes for good reading. (Though there is a certain irony to reading King’s thoughts on the peace movement right across the street from the District of Columbia’s War Memorial and a stone’s throw from the World War II Memorial). The landscaping is lovely and when the cherry trees are in bloom the entire scene will be spectacular.
There is water on either side of the entrance, a nice addition echoing the memorial’s location near the tidal basin and the Potomac. The designers found the perfect piece of real estate for this memorial.
If only they’d built a better monument.
