Monuments on the Quad
Over the course of the second half of the Spring 2022 semester at Guilford College, students enrolled in Mark Dixon’s “Design of Objects” and Kaylee Alexander’s “History of Monuments” collaborated to conceptualize and design a series of monuments to be displayed during Guilford College’s annual Art on the Quad event, held on April 1, 2022. The purpose of this assignment was to have the students in History of Monuments engage critically with a topic or event that they were passionate about by “commissioning” a monument from students in Design of Objects and critiquing proposed designs according to the theories and practices that they were engaged with throughout the semester.
This experimental assignment resulted in five, full-scale monument prototypes memorializing the essential workers who risked their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic (Boxed and Battered); the life changes we’ve experienced during the pandemic (The Curve); the diversity of Guilford College’s community (Threshold); a Revolutionary War battle that took place on campus in 1781 (Fight for Peace); and the prevalence of substance abuse and mental health struggles amongst college students (Looking Inside Yourself).
Each of these projects unfolded iteratively, from proposal to 3D sketch, and from model to full-scale prototype. On this page you will find the final prototype as well as the descriptive text students composed for each monument.
Scroll down to browse the monuments or click on the buttons below to navigate to each monument.
Click on the image of the monument to see process photos.
Boxed and Battered
Design: Nazir Jones, Abby Snodgrass
Concept: Liz Alfaro-Hernandez, Isabelle Lippincott, Blake Stephenson
Essential workers include diverse, low-wage employees whose jobs require face-to-face interaction with the public, which has put this group at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. Essential workers often experience a lack of workplace protection and support. They risk injury and infection resulting from limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and employers often fail to protect the workers’ health. Essential workers are imperative when it comes to maintaining the health, safety, and well-being of a population during times of emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This monument recognizes the struggle that essential workers have faced throughout the pandemic. The conical structure encases a fragile figure, symbolizing the entrapment essential workers face in high-risk situations. If you peek into the cone, you may notice the distraught figure inside. We encourage you to write a message dedicated to the essential workers in your life and use that paper message to physically reconnect the broken bamboo sticks.
The Curve
Design: Blake Moore, Eduardo Corcuera, Zoey Norris
Concept: Lauren Bowman, Katey Griswold
The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected the world, but most importantly it has shaped the lives of every individual. Over the past two years, everyone has experienced a variety of changes that have affected them as a person. With this memorial, we hope that people are able to take a moment to reflect on the gravity of everything that has happened within our community. It also shines a light on the positives that have emerged from it: finding yourself, moving, growing closer to family and friends, starting new relationships, and everything in between. Please take a moment to toss the bad things that have happened to you during the pandemic into the center of the structure. As the negatives accumulate within the memorial, the windows reveal the magnitude of struggles we’ve experienced throughout the pandemic. Kept inside, however, the structure also maintains the privacy of those experiences. After tossing away the bad, please take a moment to reflect on the good changes that have occurred in your life; hang the positives from the bamboo. With this memorial, we honor the lows and highs of the pandemic to see how much we have grown.
Threshold
Design: Jacquie Cox, Sarah Seguin, Frazier Turner
Concept: Cary Hardwick, Hannah Hoffman, Whitney Ligon, Karol Jaimes, Tinyah Ervin
In passing through this threshold we hope that you are able to transcend labels and discover a place where you feel heard and welcomed. This monument serves to honor you, and the voices of all those who are typically excluded from the monuments landscape. Let’s make a connection; let’s uplift our diversity. As you walk through Threshold, be who you choose to be; be free from the expectations, limitations, and judgment placed on you by society. Let that freedom reflect in how you decide to interact with Threshold. Whether you choose to a piece of twine onto the gateway, to place your handprint onto the path, or to write a message to yourself or someone you care about, we invite you to leave your mark.
Fight for Peace
Design: Aileen Cerda, Monse Lara, Ruby Murphy, Matt Shingleton
Concept: Ashley Helms, Janelle Lee, Rich Lyons
At 7:30 am on March 15th 1781, Continental and Loyalist troops clashed near the New Garden Meeting House. Respectively, Lee’s Legion and Tarleton’s British Legion engaged in a swirling melee as infantry forces fired back and forth. Fighting occurred on the grounds, and in the surrounding areas, of what is now Guilford College’s campus. Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee later wrote of the battle in his memoirs: “Infantry came running up with trailed arms, and opened a well aimed fire on the guards, which was followed in a few minutes by a volley from riflemen under Campbell, who had taken post on the left of the infantry. The action became sharp and was bravely maintained on both sides.” Once the action had commenced here and at Guilford Courthouse, the Quakers provided medical services to the wounded on both sides and buried between 170 and 190 soldiers who had died during the battle. The cause of the fighting was summarized by Nathanel Greene in a letter to the Quakers of New Garden: “Do not be deceived. This is no religious dispute. This contest is for political liberty without which cannot be enjoyed the free exercise of your religion.” The Quakers’ resolve during and after the battle was commendable and stands as an example to the modern-day students of Guilford College.
Looking Inside Yourself
Design: Ahmad Brewington, Christian Saunders, Brianna Edwards
Concept: Rahjha Dingle, Morgan Nixon
Addiction and mental health go hand in hand. When it comes to college students, many people don’t immediately think of addiction; they tend to focus more on stress, anxiety, and the strain college experiences often have on our mental health. This memorial brings awareness to how frequently mental health and addiction actually affect college students. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-aged students; there are an estimated 1,100 suicides on college campuses annually. Additionally, 22.2% of college students have used illicit drugs and 80% have abused alcohol. The monument is in the form of an oversized Quaker Card made of cardboard and reflective paper. The reflective paper allows viewers to reflect on a distorted image of themselves, and pause to face their mental health needs or consider any harmful relationships they might have with drugs or alcohol.