Civic Engagement Project: Lincoln Park

 Phase 1: The Site

For my Civic Engagement project, I have chosen Lincoln Park as my site due to the fact that I have live there for a very long time and it is a place where I go for a walk so that I can relieve some stress whenever I finish doing my work.  In addition, I have seen how Lincoln Park can serve as an important gathering spot where history can meet with local culture.

Phase 2: Field Work

Lincoln Park Location: 3501 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90031

During my fieldwork at Lincoln Park, I took photographs of both monument between the 1926 bronze monument Abraham Lincoln and the Wall of Las Memorias AIDS Monument. The Lincoln statue, crafted by Julia Bracken Wendt on July 4th, 1926, utilizes a symbol of justice and national unity. In addition, the Wall of Las Memorias, designed by architect David Angelo and public artist Robin Brailsford on December 1st, 2004, serves as a Latino community driven site with granite wall with artistic imagery that serves as a way to honors those who had been affected by aids. While the Lincoln statue remains a permanent historical fixture of the park's early American history, the AIDS monument reflects modern society with its rich cultural and artistic history with the Latino community. Both works occupy the same public space and representing different eras of themes and representations.


                                      


Phase 3: Critical Analysis

In Lincoln Park, the coexistence of the Abraham Lincoln and the Wall of Las Memorias AIDS monument illustrates a significant shift in how public space is used to display art. The Lincoln monument is an American figure that is selected to represent national unity within the urban landscape. On the other hand, the Wall of Las Memorias reflects the community pattern of representation for those that has been affected by aids, where it is a community that is based around Latino identity, which is funded for $850,000 from the support of Los Angeles City Councilman Gilbert Cedillo and from Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Hilda Solis. This analysis suggests that the Lincoln statue remains a history of patriotic narratives, and the additions of the AIDS monument to the park indicates a transition toward a more inclusive and equitable society that prioritizes the cultural visibility within Lincoln Park.

Phase 4: Proposal

The reason I have chosen this site is because my personal familiarity in the area and my interest in how historic civic monuments can function within this community. For my proposal, I recommend enhancing the visual landscape of Lincoln Park by introducing a way where it can connect historical origin and its current role as a Latino cultural center. While the Abraham Lincoln statue remains a significant historical figure, it lacks a direct connection towards the local community, whereas the Wall Las Memorias successfully uses culturally specific imagery to address the modern community needs. I would like to propose an interactive bilingual signage that honors the Latino community. By diversifying the themes represented and ensuring future artist are selected without bias, the park can improve into a more inclusive public space that can support everyone.

References

Historic Places Los Angeles -  Resource Report. (n.d.). https://historicplacesla.lacity.org/report/dc1fe70a-7729-435d-ae68-c58a0782a7e1#:~:text=Completed%20in%201933%20as%20a,arts%20arm%20of%20the%20WPA.

    https://www.thewalllasmemorias.org/monument



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