Introduction
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, located in Washington, D.C., presents a national monument of honor for Dr. King’s contribution to the development of racial equality, civil rights, freedom, and justice in the United States. The memorial is constructed from white granite, which immediately stands out to the viewers, and includes three elements symbolizing a mountain and a stone detached from the mountain. The design of the memorial refers to the line about a stone of hope in Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech. Therefore, while the monument presents a tribute to a significant period of American history, it also deserves special attention as a significant work of human creative expression.
Discussion
Firstly, the main purpose of the monument is to solidify Dr. King’s legacy in the fight for equal rights and express his significance as a prominent figure in the nation’s history. Considering that the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial presents one of the few monuments for non-President historical figures, one can suggest that the monument’s creators have successfully fulfilled their goal of honoring Dr. King’s legacy. However, the monument’s design and the material choice emphasize that in addition to the main goal, the creators also wanted to show that Dr. King will always symbolize hope for a bright future.
The public widely appreciates Martin Luther King Jr. for his work in the promotion of peace, equality, and freedom values. Dr. Kind advocated for the interests of oppressed people while maintaining the principles of nonviolent resistance, demonstrating his commitment to the idea of finding peaceful solutions to all problems. Therefore, in the minds of contemporary and modern people, Dr. King’s figure is mainly associated with positive values. The creative expression in the monument thoroughly captures the people’s perception of Dr. King. While the creative decision to execute the monument of an African American man in white granite may have caused controversy in the past, the modern public is more supportive of such an approach. Moreover, the monument continues the dialogue on racial discrimination, drawing attention to the relevant issue of discrimination against African American culture. Thus, the work demonstrates how creative expression is impacted by the people and situations surrounding them.
After thinking deeply about the work, I want to learn more about the process of the memorial’s creation. Thus, I would like to know more about the people involved in the process of the memorial’s execution, their background, and their adherence to Dr. King’s views. It is possible that acquiring this information will provide more details about the creators’ original intent and find inconsistencies in comparison with my interpretation. For example, my interpretation of creative expression is sourced from my experience as a young Black woman. However, it is possible that the creative expression of the memorial’s creators is sourced from aesthetic preferences. Thus, in order to find the answer to my question, it can be helpful to search for detailed interviews with the creators. The memorial’s construction was finished not so long ago, which means that the materials from the memorial’s presentation are easily accessible.
The creative component presents an essential part of the works of cultural and historical significance. Modern society is constantly changing, which influences people’s creative expressions: therefore, the creative component in the works of cultural and historical significance reflects how society changes over time. Furthermore, it is important to note that the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was completed and opened during President Barack Obama’s first term, even though the planning for the memorial began much earlier. Thus, one can suggest that the cultural shift caused by President Obama’s election influenced the creation of the work. The article by Sheets (2019) featured in the course materials explored a simple topic where a 72-year-old Black artist’s works suddenly became popular when the art community became more accommodating to diverse artists. Therefore, while creative expression can be influenced by culture, the reception of creative expression can also be defined by culture.
In my opinion, the act of human creative expression and culture are closely connected with the potential to influence each other. A close analysis of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial’s creation story defined that the organizers did not use the opportunity to invite an African American sculptor to the project and source American granite (Hagopian, 2020). Thus, even though the culture undoubtedly influenced the creative work, the execution did not adhere to the culture of equality and representation. A similar issue was explained by Sheets (2019) in her coverage of McArthur Binion’s story, where dealers instructed diverse artists to behave in a certain way. Therefore, while creative expression and culture have the potential to influence each other equally, there can be possible differences and contradictions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that more freedom and cultural representation in acts of creative expression can help society deal with relevant issues by making people more open-minded and welcoming toward other cultures. For example, modern society has difficulties in the process of eliminating negative cultural and racial biases. Creative expressions are influenced by the creator’s personal experience and society; therefore, there should be more opportunities for better reflection of different perspectives in society. The concept of multiculturalism implies that different cultures can coexist with each other without threats of assimilation or integration. Therefore, in the field of creative expression, there should be an opportunity to represent more different cultural perspectives and experiences.
References
Hagopian, P. (2020). The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the politics of post-racialism. History & Memory 32(2), 36-77. Web.
Sheets, H. M. (2019, March 23). Discovered after 70, Black artists find success, too, has its price. The New York Times. Web.