MEDIA ADVISORY: Trust for the National Mall To Unveil New National Initiative Beyond Granite, Announce Participating Artists
TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL TO UNVEIL NEW NATIONAL INITIATIVE BEYOND GRANITE, ANNOUNCE PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Project partners to preview exhibition, announce artists from around the country selected to exhibit as part of ‘Beyond Granite’ on the National Mall and in Washington, DC in 2023
**Please be advised that this is a media event. The announcement can also be viewed virtually via livestream by signing up through this link.
For Immediate Release
December 01, 2022
Media Contacts:
Julie Moore 202-297-6106
jmoore@nationalmall.org
Molly Flores
mflores@linksp.com
WASHINGTON (December 01, 2022) — The Trust for the National Mall, along with its project partners, will reveal details and announce the roster of artists who will take part in the inaugural exhibition of Beyond Granite during a media preview event on December 7, 2022.
Beyond Granite is inviting visionary artists to produce special commemorative exhibits, performances, and installations on the National Mall and in Washington, DC in 2023. The project seeks to imagine and activate a more representative process for commemorating American history, experiences, and stories not yet told on the National Mall and beyond.
In the coming months, the Trust for the National Mall, in partnership with the NCPC, NPS, and through the thoughtful curation and public outreach of Monument Lab, and Justice & Sustainability Associates, will facilitate the selection and execution of temporary commemorative installations and programs, created by artists from around the country, on and around the National Mall, in 2023.
At the event on December 7, Trust for the National Mall, National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service and Monument Lab will unveil the inaugural exhibition title, concept, and the selected artists who will design these commemorative installations for the first iteration of Beyond Granite. The event will feature remarks and a panel discussion about the upcoming exhibition and the exciting work ahead in expanding the dialogue about what is commemorated on the National Mall. Beyond Granite is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation and is presented by the Trust for the National Mall in partnership with the National Capital Planning Commission and the National Park Service. The inaugural exhibition will be curated by Dr. Paul Farber and Dr. Salamishah Tillet for Monument Lab, with public outreach by Justice & Sustainability Associates. For more information, visit www.beyondgranite.org.
For more information on Beyond Granite, visit: https://www.beyondgranite.org/. To watch Beyond Granite: The Future of the Public Square and read the blog visit: https://mellon.org/shared-experiences-blog/beyond-granite/.
WHAT: Special Media Preview, Artist Announcement for Beyond Granite
WHEN: Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 9-12 p.m.
- 9:00 AM -- Coffee, Meet & Greet, Media Interviews
- 10:00 AM – Exhibition Preview and Artist Selection Announcement Program
- 11:15 AM – Post-Program Interviews
WHERE: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – 901 G St. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC
WHO:
▪ Dr. Paul Farber, Co-Founder and Director, Monument Lab
▪ Dr. Salamishah Tillet, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and scholar
▪ Participating artists for the inaugural exhibition (to be announced 12/7 during event)
▪ Marcel Acosta, Executive Director, National Capital Planning Commission
▪ Catherine Townsend, President & CEO, Trust for the National Mall
▪ Jeffrey Reinbold, Superintendent, National Park Service National Mall and Memorial Park
MEDIA DETAILS: Interviews are available before and after the event. Media kit, video and imagery available upon request. RSVP to Molly Flores at mflores@linksp.com or Julie Moore at jmoore@nationalmall.org.
###
ABOUT THE TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL: As the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic partner of the U.S. National Park Service dedicated to restoring, preserving, and enriching the National Mall, the Trust brings expertise, private funding, and in-kind support to time-sensitive restoration and sustainability projects. The Trust also mobilizes a volunteer operation to provide educational opportunities to ensure that the National Mall endures and thrives as a vibrant civic stage for all. With over 36 million annual visits, the National Mall’s aging infrastructure and outdated visitor amenities are in urgent need of repair and improvement as we prepare for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The Trust is also the philanthropic partner of President’s Park, adjacent to the National Mall.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION: The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government's central planning agency in Washington, DC and surrounding counties of Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides overall guidance for federal land and buildings in the region. It also reviews the design of federal projects and memorials, oversees long-range planning for future development, and monitors capital investment by federal agencies.
ABOUT NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS: The National Park Service’s National Mall and Memorial Parks preserves, protects, and interprets the symbolic and monumental civic spaces and commemorative works in the center of the Nation’s Capital that honor American ideals and values, distinguished public figures, and military and civilian sacrifices and contributions. On the National Mall these sites include the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. National Mall and Memorial Parks also serves as a public park and open space for active civic and cultural engagement, recreation, and public enjoyment.
