World's Columbian Exposition Commemorative Presentation Medal 1892 - 1894

Curator: Today, we're looking at the "World's Columbian Exposition Commemorative Presentation Medal" designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens between 1892 and 1894. It's a bronze relief sculpture currently held here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: My first impression is the bold and unapologetic presentation of colonialism. The medal’s classical-realist style gives it a veneer of legitimacy and glorifies the figure of Christopher Columbus, despite the harm he represents to so many. Curator: Absolutely. These medals were commissioned and distributed at the exposition, an event designed to showcase American progress and celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas. It reflects the national mood at the time, even if through today’s critical lenses we can recognize some problematic aspects of this celebratory framing. Editor: That is precisely the point; It’s crucial to consider the indigenous populations already inhabiting this land who experienced displacement and devastation as a result of Columbus’s voyages. The medal makes no mention of this violent history, presenting a very one-sided narrative. The intentional exclusion is deafening. Curator: True. The medal is a product of its time, embedded within a specific socio-political context. We can look at how these expositions operated, using art to further certain imperial narratives and legitimize the expansion of power. We should see it as one small piece of a massive cultural operation, in order to truly grasp the social intent of the exposition as a whole. Editor: The inscription 'OCT. XII. MCCCCXCII' makes a specific claim. I wonder, what kind of cultural work is happening when we choose certain histories to elevate, when others get completely erased? When we confront this work now, it feels as if Saint-Gaudens inadvertently opened a dialogue. It acts as a point of reflection, allowing us to critically assess the stories we tell about ourselves and the silences they perpetuate. Curator: Yes, and understanding this, it opens a broader discussion about commemoration itself: how public sculptures and medals influence collective memory, and how our interpretations can shift as our values evolve. Editor: The work and its complicated legacy become essential material for today's ongoing discussions surrounding decolonization and representation. Thanks for the insights.