National Park Service Director Charles F. Sams, III Joins Opening Reception for Beyond Granite
National Park Service Director Charles F. Sams, III Joins Opening Reception for Beyond Granite
On the eve of the exhibit debut, the Trust was honored to host National Park Service Director Charles F. Sams III and the six participating artists for an opening reception celebrating the art, the artists and the stories told in Beyond Granite: Pulling Together.
The crowd, which included celebrated leaders in art, history, public policy and academia, mingled with the artists and enjoyed remarks from Trust President and CEO Catherine Townsend, Trust Executive Vice President Teresa Durkin, Director Sams, National Mall and Memorial Parks Superintendent Jeff Reinbold, National Capital Planning Commission Executive Director Marcel Acosta, Program Director Justin Garrett Moore with project supporters at the Mellon Foundation, and exhibition co-curators from Monument Lab Salamishah Tillet and Paul Farber.
“The power of public space, like the National Mall, is where history, culture, and democracy converge...Beyond Granite is groundbreaking and it’s significant in the work to bring new stories and new perspectives to the National Mall so that more people who visit, feel seen, feel heard, and feel a sense of belonging.”
The Trust was grateful to our partners at King and Spalding LLP for graciously hosting the reception at their rooftop office overlooking the National Mall.
Event images courtesy of AJ Mitchell Photography for Monument Lab
Learn more about the Beyond Granite initiative, and the pilot exhibition Pulling Together at beyondgranite.org