I can recall numerous times I have glanced at this statue but I cannot remember a time I actually stopped to understand it or tried to find the meaning behind it. It has been at the center of Major Mark Park on Jamaica, Queens for as long as I can remember. It stands tall and can be visible from any angle at any time of the day. It was only after I searched it up on nycgovparks.org, I learned that the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was built in 1896. It is safe to say that multiple generations have seen this statue! On the website, it states that bronze and westerly granite was used to build it. I am assuming that the color of the statue changed over time since it has been built centuries ago. As time went on, the neighborhood changed, however the statue did not. The neighborhood was once suburban with two story homes. Overtime, clusters of apartment building were built and the community fell into poverty. Currently, the area is undergoing gentrification which I am hoping will not affect the statue, in terms of its location and placement. Overall, this statue creates a sense of community, one that cannot be replaced in such a fast pace, urban environment.
Once I was up close to the statue, I was a bit frightened. Initially, I found it to be an emotionless statue holding a feather and a flower crown. Upon reading more about the statue online, I learned that it is an angel holding a laurel wreath and a palm frond; which symbolizes victory and peace. The artist’s name is not on the statue but the years 1861 to 1865 is engraved on the bottom of the statue. These years are significant because this is when the Civil War took place in the U.S. Again, with the help of nycgovparks.org, I read that Frederick Wellington Ruckstull was the sculptor who created the piece to honor fellow Union Army soldiers and sailors from Queens who lost their lives during the Civil War. This statue emulates the respect and bravery our soldiers had during a time of great divide in the United States of America.
Learning about this monument made me reflect on the issue that sparked in Charlottesville, Virginia. In Charlottesville, a group of people led a protest to stop the local park from taking down the statue of Confederate soldier Robert E. Lee. They faced counter protest, who argued that Robert E. Lee does not deserve a statue for the rebellion he led against this nation. Violence quickly broke out between the two groups and resulted in the tragic death of Heather Heyer. Statues are built to honor people or events. That is the reason for The Lincoln Memorial, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of liberty and many other statues around the country. The event in Charlottesville became controversial because it questioned whether Americans should honor a person who was actively trying to reinstitute slavery and mistreatment of African Americans. The nation is substantially polarized today; politically, socially and economically. Political polarization ignited from differing opinions of a statue. It influenced people’s belief and action. This goes to show how much power public art holds in our country.
