Hats off to one Washington artist, no pun intended, whose innovative work is generating a lot of talk.
Sandy Williams IV’s stunning 6-foot-tall wax copy of the Lincoln Memorial is melting outside Garrison Elementary in Northwest Washington, where it has been 95-100 degrees for many days.
Related posts
The 3,000-pound Abraham Lincoln wax sculpture titled “40 ACRES: Camp Barker” is located on the former site of Camp Barker, a Civil War-era contraband camp.
Williams stated that the artwork is supposed to burn like a candle and alter over time. However, the high heat has had a dramatic impact, affecting the appearance of the sixteenth president.
On Monday, CulturalDC staff removed Lincoln’s head on purpose to prevent it from falling and fracturing, with funding from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities through the Public Art Building Communities Grant.
“While I do often encourage these sculptures to melt, I was not expecting this version of the artwork to melt in this way,” Williams told CNN. “This melting is 100% due to the unexpected heat waves we are experiencing on the East Coast and around the world.”
Since 2020, Williams has been using this wax to create public sculptures. However, this is the first time the heat has visibly compromised its integrity.
Williams’ wax monument series also includes wax copies of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, J. E. B. Stuart, and Thomas Jefferson.
Williams states, “In an attempt to immortalize a particular reality, I am interested in visualizing change and building monuments that can keep a living record of activity.” “Melting these wax replicas of renowned monuments grants individuals agency over these typically (legally) inviolable forms.”
CulturalDC stated that they are working with the community and Garrison Elementary to establish the next steps for the sagging Abe sculpture.
Washington expects a busy weather day with temperatures rising into the mid- to upper 90s and heat indices of 100–105 degrees. Severe thunderstorms may also occur on Wednesday. Drier weather will follow to finish the workweek, with more showers expected over the weekend.
