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4.Answer: How does the art piece "work" (interpretation) on an audience

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4.Answer: How does the art piece "work" (interpretation) on an audience

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This bronze sculpture art is the embrace of Martin Luther King and his wife. It is designed to arouse human love and intimate feelings, and also to let the audience consider the role of race and performance in art and media. This is a powerful visual expression of black body and love. It can produce a series of emotions and reactions according to the audience's experience and personal views.

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2. Text: Bronze MLK statue in Boston, MA , MLK and Coretta Scott King Embarrassing in a hug.
Context: This is a statue to memorialize Martin Luther King embracing his wife.
Subtext: It implies the unity that MLK brought to many lives, as well as showing the strength. It also shows emotions such as love and other feelings
3. We can see it as a conceptual piece of art.
4. The audience was split between many different views. some supporting the true meaning, and others taking it far from the true meaning.

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2. Text: 2 story bronze monument in Boston. Monument depicts photo of MLK arms holding his wife.
Context:
Subtext: MLK embraces his wife based off photo. Monument depicts MLK's love for his wife

3. This piece would be categorized as conceptualism

4. Assumes the audience knows of the famous photo

5.

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Dave Shah, Tiffany Hudgins, Deanna Scott, Dominic Crofut

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Dave Shah, Tiffany Hudgins, Deanna Scott, Dominic Crofut

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2. Text: 22 feet tall, 40,000 lbs bronze sculpture. Made up of 2 pairs of hands, one pair female and one pair male. A male hand has a ring, and a female hand has a bracelet.

Context: This was modeled after Martin Luther King Jr and his wife Coretta Scott King. It was taken from a photo of them embracing after MLK had found out that he had won the noble peace prize.

Subtext: Represents equality, unity, and the fight against racism. It's named The Embrace and shows an embrace, it sends a message of acceptance and love.

3. This would be considered conceptual art because a lot of its meaning and value as art is based on the background surrounding its creation. The photo being the inspiration brings a lot of meaning and importance to the peace.

4. The audience interpretation has been mixed, and very politicized. Some viewers think of this as inspiration, an homage to MLK, with pictures showing viewers embracing each other. Others view it as a waste of money, and a white washing of king's legacy.

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Text : It is located in the Boston commons, it is copper, there are 2 sets of hands holding each other, its made of 600+ pieces welded together, its 22ft tall, cost $10 million
Context : they are embracing each other, it is Martin Luther King jr and his wife Coretta Scott King, it is based off of a photo of them hugging after he won the Nobel peace prize (1964)
Subtext : It was created to show that there is love everywhere in the world according to Hank Thomas

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https://time.com/6249068/martin-luther-king-sculpture-hank-willis-thomas-interview/

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The Artist Behind the MLK Jr. Sculpture Has a Message for Critics

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'Something as radical as a monument to love in a society that celebrates hate and is going to and must necessarily challenge'

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https://massdesigngroup.org/work/design/embrace-hank-willis-thomas

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Embrace Boston is a non-profit organization established by the Boston Foundation in 2017, working to inspire change and activate social justice values towards the realization of a radically equitable and inclusive Boston. At the end of 2017, Embrace Boston issued a call for a permanent monument in the Boston Common representing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King's legacy and presence within the city, creating a cultural symbol of equity and justice for Boston's residents and visitors. An Art Committee convened, and received 126 applications that were ultimately narrowed down to five finalists invited for design competition. MASS and artist Hank Willis Thomas partnered on a proposal, and on March 4, 2019, The Embrace was officially selected for the design of the memorial and plaza.

The sculpture design was inspired by photographs taken during the Civil Rights movement, in moments of people joining hands and locking arms, and of the Kings walking arm in arm at the frontlines of marches and protests. One image from that period, depicting Dr. King hugging Coretta following the announcement that he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was particularly striking to Thomas: "I saw in that moment, how much of his weight was literally on top of her. And I thought that was a really symbolic idea: That she was literally holding his weight." Thomas' deep commitment to the transformative power of love and partnership elevated one idea above the others: embrace. The memorial design declares that love is the ultimate weapon against injustice. In evoking the love shared between the Kings, their commitment to each other, and their ideals, the message behind The Embrace is overwhelmingly simple and accessible: it is about what we share, not what sets us apart.

Beneath the 20-foot-high, 25-foot-wide sculptural arms of Dr. King and Coretta Scott, passersby will be reminded of our shared human connection and the ideals of inclusion that the Kings defended in their united life of activism. By enveloping visitors in the act of embrace, the memorial shifts emphasis from a singular hero to collective emotion.

Inserted as a new node in the network of The Boston Common, America's oldest public park, efforts were made to bring the sculpture and surrounding plaza into composition with the rest of the space. The Embrace marks the first new monument in the Boston Common in more than 30 years. MASS led research and analysis to understand the history of the Common and its layout, adjacencies, infrastructures, and use patterns over time. The memorial sits along a historic desire line, and responds to the State House, Black Heritage Trail, and Parkman Bandstand. It was sited to preserve robust existing trees and scaled to be below their canopy, with additional trees planted around the plaza.

The 1965 Freedom Plaza grounds The Embrace, and was oriented and scaled to celebrate the sculpture while creating a space for collective experience. The 6,000 square-foot circular plaza features granite custom shaped pavers, benches, and wall elements fabricated by Quarra Stone Company. Made up of over 1,300 granite stone pieces in six different finishes, the diamond-shaped pavers evoke African American quilt making traditions. The pattern symbolizes unity and collectivism, echoing a famous quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. in his letter from Birmingham Jail in Birmingham, AL, in 1963: "All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."

The Plaza is framed by two circular bench walls that rise from the granite, nestling the space around The Embrace to foster intimacy. One wall features a quote from Coretta Scott King, which builds on the memorial's focus on love as key to making the change we want to see. The Plaza also honors 64 of Boston's civil rights leaders active between 1950-1970, creating an opportunity to tell the story of local leaders who joined the Kings in their fight for social rights, and marched during the 1965 Freedom Rally. The honorees are commemorated with a bronze plaque embedded within the plaza.
"Love is such a powerful force. It's there for everyone to embrace-that kind of unconditional love for all humankind. That is the kind of love that impels people to go into the community and try to change conditions for others, to take risks for what they believe in." - Coretta Scott King
Together, The Embrace and The 1965 Freedom Plaza create a memorial which marks the first step in a transformative vision for the city of Boston. The city is answering the call asked by many across the country: how can we fill the voids left in America's public spaces, once we have removed the memorials that divide us? How can we demand more memorials that unite us around our common humanity, love, and empathy?

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Embrace Boston is a non-profit organization established by the Boston Foundation in 2017, working to inspire change and activate social justice values towards the realization of a radically equitable and inclusive Boston. At the end of 2017, Embrace Boston issued a call for a permanent monument in the Boston Common representing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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A new statue commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King was unveiled in Boston over the weekend. Titled The Embrace, it's a 20-foot-tall bronze sculpture of arms locked in a hug, the pose borrowed from a famous photograph of the couple that was taken when MLK won the Nobel Prize in 1964. At the dedication ceremony, Martin Luther King III said the statue "truly signifies the bonds of love shared by my parents." But depending on the angle from which it's viewed, the disembodied arms looked to many like ... something else. "Now Boston has a big bronze penis that's supposed to represent Black love at its purest and most devotional," wrote Seneca Scott, a cousin of Scott King, who called the memorial "performative altruism." Countless memes compared it to an oral-sex position. "Has anyone in here ever been eaten out?!" comedian Leslie Jones remarked on The Daily Show. "Because they are celebrating you right now." In a more serious critique, Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said the statue's form and lack of faces made it appear " deracialized," a "whitewashed symbol" that distorted what the civil-rights leader stood for.

Jokes aside, the conversation surrounding The Embrace reanimates the ongoing debate about how to memorialize Black history, which is largely missing from public space. Each new commission - for Harriet Tubman, Emmett Till, the victims of lynching, to name a few - has triggered a discussion about narrative and artistic choices. While there's a general consensus that it's time to remove Confederate monuments, there's no agreement on what comes next. Should we rely on the same visual language of classical European monuments with realistic representations of Black historical figures rendered in bronze and marble? Or should artists have the creative liberty to make something entirely new? Should we continue to lionize specific individuals, or can we shift the focus to collectives and social movements? In Downtown Brooklyn, there's disagreement about whether or not figurative statues or a garden ought to commemorate Abolitionist Place. San Francisco's memorial to Maya Angelou made headlines after the design - a book featuring a portrait of Angelou on the cover - was scrapped by the city supervisor who sponsored the initiative because she wanted it to be a literal statue of Angelou, then eventually reapproved. In general, those making the decisions about public art continue leaning toward old idioms.

It's telling that The Embrace began as a tech entrepreneur's idea. In September 2017, Paul English, who co-founded Kayak.com, decided that his city needed a "world-class" MLK memorial like the one in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens, which he often visited. "Boston has a complicated history with race, and as somebody who grew up in Boston, race is always on my mind," English told the Boston Globe. "The time is right. Let's use it to celebrate [King's] life and to have some honest conversations about how we're doing today with race and civil rights." He started a nonprofit called MLK Boston, which has since been renamed to Embrace Boston; put up a website; and spent $1 million of his own money to launch the project. (It should be noted that Embrace Boston also has a research and lobbying arm to support social-justice causes.) MLK Boston held an open call for concepts, and a panel that included art historians and community members chose five finalists from 126 submissions. They included entries from David Adjaye and Adam Pendleton, landscape architect Walter Hood, and artist Yinka Shonibare. While most of the designs were abstract - in the form of gardens and fountains - Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group's The Embrace was the only figurative one. It was also the most popular with the public. Three teams then moved into a feasibility stage to figure out which piece would actually work in a landmarked park. In 2021, the city finally approved The Embrace.

But the figurative nature of the sculpture seems to have worked against it. Most of the backlash against The Embrace is about its appearance. There's no question that most views of it look kind of strange. Only one angle really makes sense: it's where the interlocking arms form the shape of a heart. The outline of that heart also appears as a logo on the memorial's website and on the merch. Love - the bond between MLK Jr. and Scott King as well as the vision of a "Beloved Community" - is the intended message of the memorial as well, a palatable sliver of MLK's philosophy, which also included ending capitalism, militarism, and imperialism.

For those who have followed Thomas's work, both the form and subject will feel familiar. The disembodied aspect of The Embrace that's receiving criticism is a common feature of his sculptures - like , a 22-foot-tall bronze arm pointing to the sky that was installed near the Brooklyn Bridge in 2019, or , in which one arm grasps the wrist of another arm that's holding a police baton. Love is also one of his recurring themes. In his For Freedoms campaign, an artist-led project to boost voting and civic engagement, Thomas created a billboard that read, "Who taught you to love?" When he began to conceive of The Embrace, Thomas was drawn to the relationship between King and Scott King. "There are so many monuments to victims of war; there are very, very few monuments to love," he told CBS. With The Embrace, he said he wanted to acknowledge the collaboration and partnership between them and honor how Scott King continued King's work after he was assassinated in 1968, a legacy which is rarely commemorated.

It's a moving sentiment, but not one that will be apparent to most people who visit the sculpture (or those who see memes of it). I suspect the piece - which is designed so visitors can walk around and through it - won't feel as graphic in person as it does in photographs. But public art today exists as much in online images as it does in the physical world, and it seems no one involved in the project noticed what thousands of people immediately saw in the photos. A five-foot-tall version of the sculpture, made in gold and exhibited at Jack Shainman Gallery in 2022, seems to be more legible - the form distinctly reads as arms rather than anything else. What changed when the piece was scaled up and cast in bronze?

But the issues with The Embrace are bigger than just one statue. Cities around the world are all too eager to build monuments to King (there are more than 25, including one in Bosnia), but it seems very few are satisfied with them - they either look nothing like him, or there's something wrong with the proportions, or the messaging isn't right. When his monument in Washington, D.C., opened in 2011, critics also disparaged its missing body parts. "We don't even see his feet. He's embedded in rock like something not fully born," a New York Times reporter wrote, adding that he wished it looked more classical.

Beyond aesthetics, however, The Embrace has reopened a much larger controversy. For many, the MLK sculpture only reminds them of all that Boston has not done to redress its racist past. Here, and in many other instances, the figure and words of MLK Jr. are used to claim support for racial equality when there is no real commitment to policies that would make a measurable difference, like ending overpolicing in Black neighborhoods, closing the racial income gap, and reparations. Just a few years ago, Georgia explored building a monument to King on top of Stone Mountain, above the infamous carvings of Confederate leaders. After NAACP leaders objected, the idea was shelved. "You can't make hate more inclusive," said Richard Rose, president of the Atlanta chapter. Can a $10 million MLK statue cooked up by a tech guy redress hundreds of years of harm in one of the most racist cities in the country? Obviously not. But when a monument distracts us from the message of the person it's trying to represent, it just becomes a bitter reminder of a culture that wants to wear rose-colored glasses. Perhaps the MLK memorial will be the catalyst for that broader conversation rather than an ending at which leaders can point and say to themselves, Job well done.

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The Problem With Boston's MLK Memorial Isn't That It Looks Like a Penis

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There's a new memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King in Boston titled the Embrace. It was created by the artist Hank Willis Thomas and architecture firm MASS Design Group to represent the couple hugging in a famous 1964 photograph.

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https://www.boston.gov/news/embrace-unveiled-boston

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Mayor Michelle Wu, together with the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the Boston Art Commission (BAC), and Embrace Boston, today announced the unveiling of The Embrace and the 1965 Freedom Plaza by artist Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group on the Boston Common. The new memorial, initiated by a partnership between the City of Boston and Embrace Boston, aims to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, celebrate their history in Boston, and spark a public conversation on advancing racial and social justice in Boston today.

Photo of "The Embrace" and the 1965 Freedom Plaza by artist Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group, courtesy of Skanska.

"The Embrace will be a revolutionary space in our country's oldest public park for conversation, education, and reflection on the Kings' impact in Boston and the ideals that continue to shape the fabric of our city," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "The recognition of Coretta Scott King shows that we are a city that will take on the full legacy of Kings and challenge injustice everywhere from a place of love. As we continue our work to ensure Boston is a city for everyone, this memorial is a powerful call to embrace each other more, embrace our nation's history and embrace what's possible when we center community."

"The Embrace is a long-lasting symbol of the Kings' legacy, their love, and the impact of that love on us all," said Imari Paris Jeffries, Executive Director of Embrace Boston. "The Embrace is also about teamwork, and I'd like to thank the many individuals, the City of Boston, and our numerous sponsors, who came together to make this a reality. The Embrace sculpture and the surrounding 1965 Freedom Plaza embodies our organization's vision of a transformed Boston, inviting all who walk within it to witness the legacy of equity in Boston, and see themselves reflected in its future."

"My parents' time in Boston is often a forgotten part of their history - and the history of the movement they helped inspire," said Martin Luther King, III. "The Embrace is a commemoration of their relationship and journey and represents the meaningful role Boston served in our history. This is more than just a sculpture, this historic monument is a symbol of the enduring power of love and beacon of hope for so many people across the globe see my parents life's work as a calling to make this world a better place. I hope it will inspire the next generation of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott Kings as we continue the fight for peace, justice, and equity for all."

The Embrace is a bronze figural abstraction based on a photo of an embrace between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King after he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The 20-foot-tall, 25-foot-wide artwork differs from the singular, heroic form of many memorials to Dr. King and others, instead emphasizing the power of collective action, the role of women as leaders, and the forging of new bonds of solidarity out of mutual empathy and vulnerability. The Embrace is an unprecedented attempt to give shape and prominence to Dr. King's conception of agape love. It is also intended to reflect Coretta Scott King's faith in the power of art, and her long life of struggle against militarism, poverty, discrimination, racism, and sexism.

"There are so many monuments that are memorials, but this is intended to really celebrate not only the Kings, but also their legacy and how their legacy plays out in our lives," said artist Hank Willis Thomas. "I really wanted to make the work a call to action. A reminder that each of us has in us the capacity to be either of those two people or actually something inspired by and more influential. Through embracing another person our opportunities grow. I wanted to highlight the power and beauty of coming together with another person to manifest our shared goals. I am honored to be a part of the team that has built this centerpiece and gathering place in the historic city of Boston, and the location where the Kings met."

The unveiling ceremony convened Boston's thriving arts, culture, and political communities with national dignitaries and public figures. The program included remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, members of the King Family, artist Hank Willis Thomas, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and performances by local artists. Attendees, dignitaries, and guests celebrated, convened, and walked beneath the artwork's bronze arms for the first time, looking up to imagine a new Boston in the artwork's bronze reflection.

"This is a historic year for Boston and Massachusetts," said Governor Maura Healey. "The Embrace's presence on the Boston Common, the nation's oldest public park, will forever serve as a reminder to all of us of the progress we've made and all that is still possible."

"The Embrace memorial commemorates the Kings' sacrifice, radical dream, and radical love, and what a source of pride that their story together began right here in the city of Boston," said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. "This historic tribute is also a symbol of their vision for radical, revolutionary change, and a reminder of the work that remains in Boston and beyond to build a world that centers justice, equity, and our collective liberation. I was honored to participate in such a groundbreaking event today."

The memorial was the result of a public-private partnership initiated by entrepreneur Paul English, who established the fund at the Boston Foundation and co-chaired the project with Rev. Liz Walker and Rev. Jeffrey Brown. The City of Boston and Embrace Boston convened an Art Committee made up of many of Boston's cultural leaders to begin the artist selection and design process for the memorial. The Committee was co-chaired by Barry Gaither, Director and Curator of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and Special Consultant at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Karin Goodfellow, Director of Public Art for the City of Boston. The Boston Art Commission voted to approve the final design of the memorial in the spring of 2021.

"The Embrace is more than a monument to two inspirational leaders in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Coretta Scott King," said M. Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "It is a testament to a changing Boston that embraces equity, and a new generation of leaders that are making a difference in this city. The Boston Foundation has been honored to partner with the city and work hand in glove with Imari and the Embrace Boston team to make this day possible."

"As young people from around the world-but especially here in Boston, encounter The Embrace, I hope they see themselves reflected in its bronze patina, feel proud, and know that History moves forward from where they stand today," said Ekua Holmes, Vice-Chair of the Boston Art Commission.

The sculpture, which invites visitors to gather and enter into the Kings' embrace, is a key component of an extensive vision led by Embrace Boston to create a living memorial and programs honoring the legacy of the Kings and ushering a climate of economic justice and racial equity in the city. It is situated within the 1965 Freedom Plaza, which includes a quotation attributed to Corretta Scott King and commemorates the legacy of local leaders of Greater Boston dedicated to working for civil rights and social justice. Told through Embrace Boston's website and an audio experience app, their stories bring the memorial to life as an interactive public archive. The 1965 Freedom Plaza Award Selection Committee, a group of activists, educators, local artists, and cultural leaders co-chaired by Tito Jackson and L'Merchie Frazier convened to review and finalize the selection of the 1965 Freedom Plaza honorees.

"From ideation to creation, building The Embrace was an exercise in intention," said MASS Design Principal, Jonathan Evans. "We're honored to be a part of the history it celebrates and embrace the future it represents."

The memorial is located on the Boston Common, adjacent to the Parkman Bandstand, where Dr. King spoke in 1965. It will be voted into City's public art collection and will serve as a living space for conversation, education, and reflection on the Kings' time in Boston and the racial and economic justice ideals they put forth to the community.

"Residents and visitors to the city will now be able to interact with and learn from this piece of public art that truly embodies what we value and strive for as a city-collective action, racial equity, empathy, and love," said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture. "We're thrilled to welcome The Embrace into the City's public art collection and celebrate the collective action and collaborative process that got us to this point."

The Embrace will open fully to the public in February, a long-term fixture in Boston's public art landscape, and a cornerstone of equity and justice for Boston residents and visitors. The memorial and the surrounding 1965 Freedom Plaza serve as a stepping off point into an anti-racist, welcoming, and radically equitable Boston as the City approaches its 400th anniversary in 2030.

To learn more about the project, visit www.embraceboston.org.

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Mayor Michelle Wu, together with the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the Boston Art Commission (BAC), and Embrace Boston, today announced the unveiling of The Embrace and the 1965 Freedom Plaza by artist Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group on the

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'Woke' $10M MLK 'penis' statue insults black community: Coretta Scott King kin

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Even some kin of Coretta Scott King hate the new $10 million sculpture just dedicated to her and her iconic civil rights leader husband in Boston - with a cousin claiming it "looks like a penis."

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1) Do research on the artwork/artists you have been assigned  - search and read  news sources of different culture/political opinions. Post those links.  (10 min)

2) As a group, define the TEXT, CONTEXT, SUBTEXT of the artwork
3) How might this artwork be categorized within the genres of art we have covered in class so far?
4) Answer: How does the art piece "work" (interpretation) on an audience?
5) Answer: How might the controversial reception of this artwork relate to challenge an audience perspective?
(20min  total for questions 2-5)

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Backlash ensued soon after a monument meant to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King's legacy in Boston was unveiled.

The 20-foot tall, 40-foot wide "The Embrace" statue was unveiled Friday on Boston Common, where King gave a speech on April 23, 1965, to a crowd of 22,000. The statue was inspired by a photograph of King and Scott King which captured them hugging after he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

The art piece, designed by Brooklyn-based conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, only features the couple's arms during the embrace and not their heads, which has sparked criticism and mockery online. While some people defended the sculpture, others described it as hideous or disrespectful, with social media users posting memes saying it resembled a sex act.

Seneca Scott, a community organizer in Oakland, California, and cousin of Scott King, told CNN the statue was insulting to his family. He previously described it as a "masturbatory metal homage" in an essay published by Compact Magazine.

"If you can look at it from all angles, and it's probably two people hugging each other, it's four hands. It's not the missing heads that's the atrocity that other people clamp onto that; it's a stump that looked like a penis. That's a joke," Scott told CNN.

But Martin Luther King III said on Monday he was grateful to be able to see a statue representing his parents' love story and their partnership. While some people have negative opinions about the monument, he told CNN's Don Lemon on Monday he liked it.

"I think that's a huge representation of bringing people together," King said. "I think the artist did a great job. I'm satisfied. Yeah, it didn't have my mom and dad's images, but it represents something that brings people together."

"And in this time, day and age, when there's so much division, we need symbols that talk about bringing us together," he added.

Thomas appeared Tuesday on "CNN This Morning" and said his goal was to capture "the feeling of love" in the Kings' relationship and has no plans of changing the statue.

"This is a piece that was selected by the people of Boston. This is not Hank just came and put something. Thousands of people worked on this, thousands of people actually put it together and no one saw this, I would say, perverse perspective," Thomas said.

He noted other monuments like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Washington Monument drew criticism in the past and "The Embrace" is just another case of it.

In his newsletter, Thomas said earlier this month the piece was not only a monument to King and Scott King "but a monument to love and the power it holds."

A representative for Embrace Boston, a racial and economic justice group nonprofit behind the creation of the monument, declined to comment about the criticism and deferred to King III's comments.

"The Embrace is intended to inspire visitors to reflect on the values of racial and economic justice that both Kings espoused," the group said about the memorial on its website.

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martin luther king jr monument in boston sparks debate - cnn

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Justin Gamble, CNN and Nicole Chavez, CNN

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A new monument dedicated to MLK and Coretta Scott King sparks debate

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Backlash ensued soon after a monument meant to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King's legacy in Boston was unveiled. The 20-foot tall, 40-foot wide "The Embrace" statue was unveiled Friday on Boston Common, where King gave a speech on April 23, 1965, to a crowd of 22,000.

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Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah argued in a lengthy Twitter thread on Monday that the "grotesque" Martin Luther King Jr. statue, which was designed by a Black artist, represented "White America" undermining the civil rights activist's legacy.

The bronze sculpture known as "The Embrace" was unveiled on the grounds of Boston Common over the weekend in preparation for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The statue, which is supposed to represent MLK Jr. hugging his wife Coretta Scott King after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was largely condemned as "hideous" by onlookers."

One critic included Attiah, who penned several tweets attacking the sculpture and blaming "White America" for allowing the image to exist.

"Boston's Embrace statue perfectly represents how White America loves to butcher MLK. Cherry-picking quotes about love and non-violence. While ignoring his radicalism, anti-capitalism, his fierce critiques of white moderates. MLK- in his fullness-- is still too much for them," Attiah tweeted.
NEW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND CORETTA SCOTT KING SCULPTURE CALLED 'HIDEOUS': 'FIRE WHOEVER DESIGNED THAT'
She continued in several tweets blaming White America for "whitewashing" King's legacy and pointing out that it was "White America" who eventually assassinated him.

Attiah wrote, "This is what happens when white America tries to grossly distort what MLK really stood for... and ultimately.. what they murdered him for. In making MLK a whitewashed symbol of love, the Embrace statue is both safe AND grotesque. Says little about the man, a lot about America."

"And. To have a dismembered statue of a Black man and woman, in a country that killed and destroyed so many Black people, will never sit right with me. MLK Jr. was also murdered by white America. It's giving -'We are so grateful for Black people's noble sacrifice' - energy," she concluded.

Although Attiah heavily emphasized White Americans as the reason behind the hideousness of the sculpture, some social media users pointed out that the image was actually designed by Hank Willis Thomas, a Black man.

ALVEDA KING REMINDS AMERICANS OF UNCLE MLK JR.'S FAMOUS MESSAGE: 'THERE'S ONLY ONE HUMAN RACE'
"The sculptor is black, but please, do go on..." Townhall.com writer Brad Slager tweeted.

The Bulwark writer Cathy Young wrote, "It was designed by a black artist, Hank Willis Thomas, but okay."

"Several people pointed out that the artist was black (or 'Black' as they put it). Say what you will about the Boston elites, I don't think they would have been quite so stupid as to hire a white guy to make an MLK statue," Austrian economist Robert Murphy joked.

"This is an interesting illustration of how everything is always racist. This terrible design was picked in large part because the artist, H. W. Thomas, WAS Black. Or...was it REALLY...to give white tricksters another chance to downplay the great man?!!!" Political scientist Wilfred Reilly wrote.

Additional context was added to her tweet reading "The Embrace was designed by artist Hank Willis Thomas who is Black."

Seneca Scott, a cousin of Coretta Scott King, appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Tuesday to share his displeasure of the monument.

"I think that this is the product of the woke algorithm that has gone awry," Scott said. "It is important to acknowledge it is Martin Luther King day and nothing should detract from his radical vision."
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Thomas was originally selected in a competition by local nonprofit Embrace Boston who originally commissioned the project ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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Black sculptor's MLK statue represents 'White America' butchering his legacy: WaPo columnist

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Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah argued in a lengthy Twitter thread on Monday that the "grotesque" Martin Luther King Jr. statue, which was designed by a Black artist, represented "White America" undermining the civil rights activist's legacy. The bronze sculpture known as "The Embrace" was unveiled on the grounds of Boston Common over the weekend in preparation for Martin Luther King Jr.

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https://news.artnet.com/art-world/hank-willis-thomas-martin-luther-king-jr-embrace-monument-boston-2242679

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Standing Two Stories Tall, a Hank Willis Thomas Sculpture Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Is Unveiled on Boston Common | Artnet News

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Boston has unveiled “The Embrace,” a Hank Willis Thomas monument celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.