CreativeMornings - February's theme is...

February 2022

Illustration of the word Monumental with the U turning into a raised fist, with a yellow sun and a monument pedestal in the background

February’s Theme is Monumental

When we call something monumental, we mean it as a matter of scale. Societies erect statues and build squares and dedicate memorials to prevent the past from being buried. These structures loom large and cast long shadows. They are meant to endure, to keep our ancestors alive in our memories, but sometimes they dwarf the living and engulf life itself.

What does it mean to think on a monumental timescale? To honor the past in such a way that it paves a path for the unfolding of the present? We have no way of knowing if our memories will outlive us, if they will manage to travel the vastness of space and time. But there are people in the future who will need our stories, stories capacious enough to hold all of our humanity. So what will you bear witness to? What will you leave behind when you’re gone?

CreativeMornings/Richmond chose February's exploration of Monumental and Mending Walls created the accompanying illustration.

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The hashtags of the month are #CMMonumental | #CreativeMornings

📚 A Monumental Syllabus
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This month we turned it over to you to crowdsource a syllabus. When asked what came to mind when you hear the word “monumental,” you shared a few of artifacts that follow. Read our blog to explore the rest of the syllabus.

I’m sharing this photo of the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond transformed by Black Lives Matter protests. I can't think of a more powerful expression than reclaiming a Confederate monument to honor George Floyd and all victims of racial violence in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. - Rachel Scott Everett

“Dil Se Re” by A.R. Rahman is a song in Indian film music that represents a milestone in both music composition & lyrics writing - simply beautiful. - Abhishek Joshi

The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant is a staggering work of nonfiction, combining botany, ecology, ethnography, and a riveting whodunnit at its center. It’s a tribute to the living monuments that are North America’s vanishing old growth forests. It’s one of my very favorite books (and it’s so good that everyone who borrows it does not return my copy, ahem). - Annie Yi

Joy Harjo’s poem “Perhaps the World Ends Here” brings us to kitchen tables... ordinary, yet foundational; mundane, yet monumental. - Dustin Renwick

For more monumental inspiration, read the rest on our blog.

Square image of a figure looking over a grassy horizon with the words Playlist MONUMENTAL appearing.

DJ Jim Q's Playlist: Monumental
This month's playlist is densely packed with over forty songs of mammoth musicianship and colossal consequence. From the ominous thump of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” to Burna Boy’s robust “African Giant,” to Beyonce’s “Bigger,” this towering playlist is full of songs that command attention and inspire awe.

Meet Our Illustrator: Mending Walls
We can imagine no more fitting "monumental" illustrator than public art project Mending Walls RVA, which pairs artists to collaborate on murals that address our current moment. Read through for Mending Walls photographer/muralist Katrina Taggart-Hecksher's statement on her Monumental design.

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