Discovery Green, the 12-acre park in the heart of downtown Houston, unveils Monuments by Craig Walsh Dec. 12.
As an art installation, Monuments consists of projections onto five living trees of slow-motion close up videos of unsung Houston heroes filmed by internationally recognized Australian artist Craig Walsh, who has pioneered site-responsive projections in public spaces.
At once eerie and beautiful, the projections of human faces onto living trees creates a “monument” that connects the individual to nature. At the same time, this installation challenges our conception of historic monuments and involves the public directly in the decision of who should be honored in public space.
“Houston is a place where neighbor helps neighbor and we want to honor and celebrate that tradition with Monuments by Craig Walsh,” said Barry Mandel, president of Discovery Green. “The pandemic and social justice issues of 2020 have taught us just how dangerous it is to take any member of our community for granted.”
The Discovery Green Conservancy’s Public Art Committee commissioned Walsh to install Monuments in the park as a way to recognize, celebrate and encourage the people who are making a difference in 2020 as we face a global pandemic and urgent call for social justice.
The unsung Houston heroes will be chosen by a committee of Houston leaders from nominations solicited from the public. Heroes are defined as the people who are working to make the city a better place and must be over the age of 18. There is still time to nominate a hero by filling out the form at www.discoverygreen.com/heroes.
Nominations must be submitted by Nov. 19. Monuments by Craig Walsh will be on view daily from dusk to midnight through Jan. 18, 2021. Admission is free.
Visitors are invited to share their experiences using the hashtags #monuments and #discoverygreen. More information is available at www.discoverygreen.com/monuments.
Discovery Green’s programming is made possible in part by generous contributions from park supporters. Professional services are provided by the Weingarten Art Group. Monuments by Craig Walsh is part of Discovery Green’s Public Art Program—overseen by the Public Art Committee, chaired by Judy Nyquist—which has, over the past 10 years, enriched visitor experience with numerous temporary exhibitions as well as several signature permanent pieces.
“This unique synergy of highlighting local unsung heroes on the beautiful green canopy that is a signature of Discovery Green is a powerful statement of human generosity and the joy of nature,” Nyquist said.
ABOUT DISCOVERY GREEN
Discovery Green is a highly acclaimed 12-acre park created by a public-private partnership between the City of Houston and the nonprofit Discovery Green Conservancy in downtown Houston, Texas. Since opening in April 2008, the park has welcomed more than 13.5 million visitors. Discovery Green features sprawling lawns, a one-acre lake, an interactive fountain, a playground, public art installations, gardens and an allée of century-old live oaks. The Discovery Green Conservancy works with hundreds of programming partners to present more than 700 artistic, musical, educational, family-friendly and health-focused events each year, most of which are presented free to the public. The park also features two on-site restaurants, the award-winning destination restaurant The Grove and the fast-casual The Lake House, providing visitors with an array of dining options. As a nonprofit organization, the Conservancy raises all the funds needed for the programming that Houstonians enjoy through contributions from park users, foundations and sponsors. For more information, please visit www.discoverygreen.com.
ABOUT WEINGARTEN ART GROUP
The Weingarten Art Group is an award-winning art advisory agency with offices in Houston and New York. Founded in 2006 by Lea Weingarten, the firm specializes in providing private, public, institutional and corporate clients with services that include curatorial direction, project management, collection development, acquisitions and budget optimization. As an active participant in prestigious art organizations, Lea Weingarten has served on the boards of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Glassell School Core Committee, the Prints and Drawings Acquisitions Committee of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Menil Society Steering Committee for the Menil Collection and on the Civic Arts Committee for the Houston Arts Alliance.
