What typologies and qualifications do sculptures possess

to maintain a place in the urban landscape?

Rock Solid Memory

study of monuments and sculptures within the urban landscape

Sculptures and monuments play a dynamic role within an urban landscape as

they pay homage to the history of the place and its significant figures
while creating a focal point within an outdoor public space. The objective is
to study the individual figures as an art form and as windows into the histories
and changing values of a place. I will document them in a way that will inform
me about the designs of the monuments and the location. In doing so, I hope to
learn about any possible trends that may or may no longer apply to a monument
and its site.
My method is to go on monument crawls hopping through the city while
(visually) collecting the monuments and sculptures. At first glance, these figures
often appear to be monotone structures that are appealing for a quick photo,
but after a month of collecting and studying these monuments and sculptures,
I actually see them for what they are. Each has personality. Some appear to be
dancing; frozen dancers in the sun, meant to age slow and outlast through time,
hinting at their importance.
Ranging from contemporary abstract forms to traditional busts of historical
figures, monuments documented for this study are all; found in public settings.
Ive found a large collection of them in parks, squares, and other pockets of
land throughout Rio de Janeiro and have been recording their location, context,
local/global history, year created, timeframe of history memorialized, materiality, scale and/or other relevant information such as human interaction, state
of sculpture, and state of site location. I will continue to collect and see what
correlations surface.

SCULPTURAL DISPLAY TYPOLOGIES

PORTRAIT BUST

TRADITIONAL STATUE

SCULPTURE

FOUNTAIN

MONUMENT

signs of age as sharp

blade is missing in action

imagine the moments

before and after this frozen
moment. works such as
this tell a story
public works are most
likely always on a base.
unique to these series of
figures are the boulder
bases

the form and structure

remains sturdy but visible
rusting is occurring. signs
of rust point to iron casting

SCULPTURAL DISPLAY TYPOLOGIES

PORTRAIT BUST

TRADITIONAL STATUE

SCULPTURE

FOUNTAIN

MONUMENT

DESCRIBED AS SCULPTURE WHEN NO KNOWN DEDICATION TO EVENT OR PERSON PRESENT TO MEMORALIZE. ALSO CALLED SCULPTURE WHEN REPRESENTED THROUGH BROKEN OR SIMPLIFIED FORMS.

sculpture in the round as it

was made to be viewed at
all angles and is placed
appropriately on site

entering this platform,

these sculptures enriches
your sense of sight and
leads you around the
sculpture towards the
bench where you can take
in the scenery of the
landscape

surrounding area is
aging and worn but main
work shows little sign of
degradation

notice age of concrete

base stained with green
mold in its shaded and
humid mountainside
setting

catacumba was designed

to showcase abstract
sculptures. ground plan
specifically calls for a
sculptural aspect in the
center of this platform.

SCULPTURAL DISPLAY TYPOLOGIES

PORTRAIT BUST

TRADITIONAL STATUE

SCULPTURE

FOUNTAIN

MONUMENT

EACH BUST REPRESENTS A NOTEWORTHY PERSON IN HISTORY AND ARE THE FACES OF OUR PAST. MOST BUSTS FOUND
WERE OF HUMAN SCALE AND MOUNTED ON ITS OWN UNIQUE BASE; AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM AND FRAME TO THE BUST.

spotting the artists signature and year of creation is

unique but can be spotted
two versions of simliar
plaques. modern ones
placed onto base with a
glue like substance and
easily removable

base made of flash marble

evidence of unwanted use

to portrait bust

common evidence
of worn base
found on others

easily recognized and

remembered as he sits
alone across the street
watching pedestrians

SCULPTURAL DISPLAY TYPOLOGIES

PORTRAIT BUST

TRADITIONAL STATUE

detailing on every
segment of the fountain is
eye catching and appealing to many photographers

sound of water emits

calming attractive
atmosphere

SCULPTURE

FOUNTAIN

MONUMENT

four females represents

each of the seasons

SCULPTURAL DISPLAY TYPOLOGIES

PORTRAIT BUST

TRADITIONAL STATUE

SCULPTURE

FOUNTAIN

MONUMENT

most ornate monument found on walks conducted, there are many layers of interest. note at least fifteen
people represented on this monument. good source to study importance of scale between monument and
human

four reliefs representing

historic figures
the sculptures on the
monument are larger than
human scale. they are
elevated and viewer has
to raise their head or step
onto the base for a closer
look .

amount of attention to
detail is profound. located
in a heavy pedestrian area,
few truly take the time to
notice the intricate work

evidence of human
lounging and activity

hot cast bronze

cold cast
bronze finish

cast resin bronze

bronze finish

iron cast

aluminum

cor-Ten steel

black marble

limestone

other metals

patina oxide

lead cast

stone
white marble

other
wood

plaster

largo da gloria

praca cuauhtemoqua

praia de botafogo

praca juliano moreira

av prca isabel
praca do lido
praca demetrio ribeiro
ave atlantica

estacio de sa

praca alm julio de noronha

jardim botanico

campo de santana

parque da catacumba
corcovado

museu da republica
parque garota de ipanema

susieyong

praca general osario

praca floriano

praca luisde camoes

catedral metropolitana

praca tiradentes

largo do machado
maracana

shopping rio 2
panamerica

praca bitencourt

praca mahatma gandhi

praca paris

largo do paco

praca xv
paco imperial
praca da academia

paquete island
morro da urca

praca general tiburcio

jardim de alah

praca estudante da guanabara

parque cantagalo

praca prof. arnaldo de moraes

modern museum of art

monument to the dead of world war II

entry plaque to Flamengo Park