The Chicago Torture Justice Memorial, to be located on the south side of Chicago, is designed by artist Patricia Nguyen and architectural designer John Lee. The project is a public memorial dedicated to torture survivors of Jon Burge and police in his Midnight Crew. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Torture Justice Memorial)

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events reported that the Mellon Foundation has provided a grant of $6.8 million to support the Chicago Monuments Project, and citywide community-generated commemorative initiatives and installations.

The Chicago Monuments Project was created as a response to the city’s professed need for a larger reckoning with monuments that symbolize outdated values and don’t tell the story — or the full story — of Chicago’s history. It began in 2020 as a collaboration between DCASE, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Park District, and was guided by an advisory committee of community leaders, artists, architects, scholars, curators and city officials.

Funding from the Mellon Foundation will allow for the implementation of new Chicago monuments, including the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial. These projects are designed to add — permanently and temporarily — to the city’s collection, and will memorialize events, people and groups that historically have been excluded or under-represented.

The Mellon Monuments Project, launched in 2020, is a five-year, $250 million commitment to reimagine and rebuild commemorative spaces and transform the way history is told in the United States. DCASE stated that the $6.8 million grant is the largest under the monuments initiative to date. Additional funding will also support ongoing programs that facilitate the continued engagement of artists and communities around monuments, public art and cultural history.

“This catalytic support from the Mellon Foundation will fundamentally strengthen our city as our public art collection becomes more honest and inclusive,” said DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey. “We are thrilled to celebrate and support these grantees, many of whom have been hard at work for years to see that important stories are made visible. Mellon’s funding will enable the city to continue to thoughtfully and creatively engage with the complex, ever-evolving issues related to identity, justice, public space and our shared history.”

The project’s advisory committee released its final report in August 2020, with thousands of Chicagoans from diverse communities contributing to the conversation through several modes, including surveys, live discussions and free-response public feedback submitted via www.ChicagoMonuments.org.

In addition to issues pertaining to existing monuments, the CMP engagement process also resulted in the conception of eight new works. The new projects are in various stages of development. Some have been in development for many years and are seeking assistance from DCASE to implement existing designs, while others represent new ideas where designs still need to be created.

The eight projects and themes identified through the engagement process are the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial; George Washington Monument Intervention; A Long Walk Home; Mother Jones; Mahalia Jackson Monument; Pilsen Latina Histories; Chicago Race Riots of 1919 Commemoration Project; and Early Chicago.

DCASE officials reported that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said, “Chicago’s monuments and memorials are more than just public art — they speak directly to the values, history and vision of our great city. I’m grateful for the Mellon Foundation’s support of the Chicago Monuments Project, and the creation of cultural works around labor, civil rights, racial justice and other areas that represent our diversity, honor our history and tell our story.”