Committee Selects Artist to Create Ohio Statehouse Holocaust Memorial
by Elizabeth Weinstein
Members of the Ohio Statehouse Holocaust Memorial Artist Selection Committee met on Monday, May 6 to select an artist to design a Holocaust Memorial on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus.
Daniel Libeskind of Studio Daniel Libeskind in New York City was chosen by the committee, whose members include representatives from government, the arts and the Jewish community, for his design.
Libeskind's proposal features a plaza-like limestone pathway that leads the viewer to two vertical rectangular forms made of brushed stainless steel. A story from an Auschwitz survivor is embossed upon the two forms, which sit at an angle to one another and are separated by a slight opening, guiding the viewer's eye skyward, eventually resting upon a cut-out form of a bisected hexagram (six-pointed) star. The cut-out provides a direct view of the sky (bypassing the buildings of downtown Columbus). Along the path is a graduated stone wall that also serves as a seating area. Engraved into that wall is an inspirational quote that honors the death camp liberators.
Libeskind was born to Holocaust survivor parents in Postwar Poland and became an American citizen in 1964. He has designed major cultural, commercial and residential projects around the world, including the master plan for the World Trade Center, the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Military History Museum in Dresden.
He and semi-finalists Ann Hamilton and Jaume Plensa were chosen on the basis of their prior work and visited the capitol on March 12. There, they toured the Statehouse grounds, learned about the history and structural demands of the space, asked and answered questions and were then given six weeks to submit their proposals to the committee.
As outlined in SB 312, the artists were asked to create a proposal for a piece that will serve as a permanent memorial in remembrance of all victims of the Holocaust (1933 - 1945) and those Ohioans who participated in the liberation of the death camps during World War II. The memorial should provide enlightenment on man's inhumanity to man and inspire people to think and act differently in the face of discrimination, hatred, anti-Semitism and genocide.
"The process developed by the Ohio Arts Council worked very well. We had three excellent presentations by internationally renowned artists and there was thoughtful discussion following the presentations," said Ginger Warner, co-chair of the Holocaust Memorial Artist Selection Committee and vice chair of the Ohio Arts Council board.
"Although the decision to pick one was difficult, after serious discussion the committee quickly agreed upon the selection of Studio Daniel Libeskind. His proposal best fulfilled the project's mission and also provided the best opportunity to educate the public on man's inhumanity to man."
The decision will now go before the Holocaust Memorial Site Committee and the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board for approval.
History of the Ohio Statehouse Holocaust Memorial Project
At the Annual Governor's Holocaust Commemoration on May 4, 2011, Governor John Kasich tasked Ohio Jewish Communities (OJC) to work with him to create a Holocaust Memorial at the Statehouse in remembrance of all victims of the Holocaust (1933-1945), and those Ohioans who participated in the liberation of the death camps during World War II.
In March 2012 Governor Kasich signed the legislation authorizing the creation of the memorial with oversight of the project being given to the Ohio Arts Council and the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board.
About the Ohio Arts Council:
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
About the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board:
The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex.
For additional information please contact Elizabeth Weinstein at elizabeth.weinstein@oac.state.oh.us or 614/728-4463.
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