Browse Exhibits (2 total)

Nation as Sovereign and Power: White Surveillance through Monumental Sculpture and Capital Punishment

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In his essay “Panopticism” in Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Michel Foucault introduced the term "panopticon." He defined it as "enclosed space" in which every participant is "located" and constantly supervised. [1] This location of the subject is done through architecture, enforcing feelings of being watched and thus judged. I believe that the Federal Building at Kennedy Plaza and its accompanying monuments act as methods of surveillance, restricting who is allowed to belong at this site. 

One of two monuments flanking the Federal Building, Nation as Sovereign and Power exemplifies the use of sculpture and iconography to demonstrate institutional power. Employing Roman symbols of the justice system and capital punishment, the monument impresses on the traveller that they are being scrutinized for any wrong doing. When one considers the proximity of the monument to surveillance cameras and armed marshals, it becomes clear that this is not a monument for citizens, but rather a tool of control for their government. 

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The Intent to Glorify: Roger Williams Statue in Prospect Terrace

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When critically encountering the Roger Williams statue in Prospect Terrace, I discern that the primary intent of its creation and installment was to glorify and heroize Williams. This observation unlocked a series of interrelated questions: What narrative does this monument construct and reproduce about Williams? How does it use the physical design and location to convey that desired message? What are the implications of the incomplete narrative and silencing at this site? I propose that the monument’s messaging focuses on Williams as the heroic founder of Providence; the physical monument space silences indigenous communities and idealizes Williams. 

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