'Nonuments Park' Under Construction

 

Over the past week, site work has been underway to transform the District-owned NE parcel at Waterfront Station into Nonuments Park, designed by Lance Fung and part of the 5x5 Project. The gravel pathway has been torn up and a more “permanent-looking” design is being built. On Saturday, volunteers gathered at the site for the Mud Dance, an event to create seating out of cob for the park. Photos from the Mud Dance are available here. 

In addition, the winner of the Portrait Garden lottery was announced. The garden is now named the Alpha Lillstrom Portrait Garden. SW-resident Alpha Lillstrom’s LinkedIn Profile states the following: 

Strong policy and advocacy background having worked on the Hill as well as in both private and non-profit health policy sectors. Principal of Zhende Strategies, a health policy consulting practice, after having served as Senior Director of the Cancer Policy Institute at Cancer Support Community, and before that was Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel for Health care, Judiciary, Education, Immigration and Government Affairs while working for Sen. Jon Tester of Montana. 

 The garden will be created this week by artist Jennifer Wen Ma in the likeness of Lillstrom and the opening reception for Nonuments Park will be on September 6 from 11am to 1pm.

'Nonuments Park' Will Soon Take Shape

On Saturday, August 23 from 12pm – 10pm, Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) will host Mud Dance, a free event which will allow the community to help make seating for the Lance Fung-designed Nonuments temporary park, to be built at Waterfront Station on the District-owned NE parcel on 4th Street (and possible location of a new SW branch library) as a part of the 5 x 5 public art project. Nonuments is described as “a temporary sculpture park featuring ‘monuments’ devoted not to the great but to ordinary people, to the ideals of democracy, and to the common struggles of humanity.” The benches will be constructed out of cob (a mixture of mud, straw, and recycled materials) and involves stomping on the mixture, hence the name Mud Dance. WPA asks that Mud Dance participants wear comfortable shoes and clothes that can get muddy. All ages are welcome to attend and there will be music. Food will be served at 12pm and 6pm between cob-making sessions. 

On the same day as the Mud Dance, the name of a DC resident who was chosen by lottery to have their portrait made into a garden at Nonuments Park will be unveiled. Artist Jennifer Wen Ma will create the garden and volunteers are needed to help build it on the following days and times:

• August 23-24: 12pm – 6pm 
• August 25-29: 9am – 1pm and 4pm – 8pm 

The rain date for both events will be on Sunday, August 24. 

Nonuments will be on display this fall and the opening reception will take place at Nonuments Park on September 6 from 11am to 1pm. Check out 5 x 5 for more information on events surrounding Nonuments, Ceremonies of Dark Men at Arena Stage, and other 5 x 5 projects throughout the city. 5 x 5 is a project of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.