Untitled (West Hills Memorial: sculpture of the Lord's Prayer) 1957

Curator: This monument, "Untitled (West Hills Memorial: sculpture of the Lord's Prayer)" by Ken Whitmire Associates, presents the Lord's Prayer carved in stone. What strikes you about it? Editor: It feels very formal and imposing, and perhaps a bit out of place in a secular museum. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: Consider the historical moment it was created. What communities might have felt excluded by this very public, very permanent display of a Christian prayer? It raises questions about power, representation, and whose stories are told in public spaces. Editor: So, it's less about the artistic merit and more about the social implications of such a work? Curator: It's both. The deliberate choice to monumentalize a religious text inherently carries a social and political message. Editor: I see. I hadn't considered the implications beyond the prayer itself. Thank you. Curator: It's a reminder that art often reflects and reinforces existing power structures.