CFA 15/FEB/07-1

Location

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Independence Avenue, SW at the northwestern rim of the Tidal Basin
United States

Owner
National Park Service
Property
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Description
Inscriptions and sculptural elements
Review Type
Concept
Previous Review

Letter

Dear Ms. Mendelson-Ielmini:

In the meeting of 15 February, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed several components of the proposed Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The Commission approved the concept for the proposed quotations with the recommendation that complete quotations be used rather than the combinations of excerpted text shown in the submission. The Commission members emphasized the need to review the final choice of quotations in the context of their specific proposed locations on the memorial.

The Commission also reviewed the portfolio of the sculptor selected by the sponsoring foundation, Lei Yixin, who presented his proposed treatment of the "Stone of Hope" and "Mountain of Despair." The Commission reiterated its recommendation to minimize the visibility of joints between blocks of stone. The Commission members reviewed the sample of granite for the sculptures, expressing a preference for a darker stone similar to the color shown in some renderings. They commented that the treatment of the incised lettering should be carefully considered to assure legibility.

The Commission looks forward to reviewing future submissions for this important project. As always, the staff is available to assist you.

Sincerely,

/s/Thomas Luebke, AIA
Secretary

Lisa A. Mendelson-Ielmini, Acting Regional Director
National Park Service, National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242

cc: John Parsons, NPS
Ed Jackson, Jr., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project