MONUMENT

Monument is a free lending library designed by Brian McCutcheon for The Public Collection in Indianapolis. The Public Collection is a public art and literacy project consisting of artist-designed book share stations in Indianapolis. The initiative’s goals are to improve literacy, foster a deeper appreciation of the arts, and raise awareness for education and social justice in the community. Monument supports an 1894 Mark Twain quote that was written during the same time period as the construction of the downtown Indianapolis Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, which the sculpture faces. The quote suggests that books and libraries offer a more durable monument to society and culture than does the stone edifice, and this implication strongly correlates to the free exchange of literature and ideas made possible by the Public Collection project. From Brian - "it is my optimistic belief that our democracy supports and encourages equality in the access and distribution of ideas, and the Public Collection installation fosters that access."