December 1998
 

"For several hours on three consecutive evenings in September the southern face of the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown is illuminated with video image projections. These projections add motion images of the human face, human gestures and sounds of the human voice to the abstract shape of the obelisk.  It becomes the gigantic human figure of a private citizen, and actual person -- a Charlestown or South Boston resident -- who speaks freely and boldly of her or his personal experiences and struggles for 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' and for 'justice for all.' This historic monument, dedicated to the heroes of a Revolutionary War battle, becomes a contemporary memorial to the present-day heroes or heroines who continue another battle on the same (sacred) ground. This battle against tyranny and oppression continues still, inflicted now by murderous and unpunished urban violence and perpetuated by speechlessness and silence, imposed from without and from within. For three evenings, the Bunker Hill monument asserts its First Amendment rights and speaks of what it has seen and of what it has heard."

-- Krzysztof Wodiczko

Cover and endleaves: Krysztof Wodiczko, Bunker Hill Monument Projection, September 1998.  This project is part of "Let Freedom Ring," the inaugural exhibition for the Vita Brevis program at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.  Cover photograph by Donna Coveney/MIT.