A permanent public art installation celebrating decisions made in York, PA
by the Second Continental Congress
Something new in the world was agreed upon in York in the fall of 1777. This milestone step in defining the United States of America shepherded a new model of governance, in which “we the people” grant power to our leaders, rather than the leaders selectively exercising power from above. This was not easy, and a war was raging within a horseback ride away.
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Motivation for the public artwork, Hard Bargains is to honor this act of creation - a moment of individuals coming together, a moment that we now know other individuals were left out of, a focused moment in the early history of York during the forging of the United States from13 separate colonies.
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A comprehensive history is the work of historians and thick books. This contemporary artwork is built to introduce and celebrate the Articles of Confederation. View of the artwork from afar, followed by up-close discovery of sculptural details and text, will act to raise questions and stimulate curiosity. This sculpture is an invitation and a challenge for both residents and visitors to reflect thoughtfully on the efforts of diplomates in 1777. We believe spotlighting this historic moment will deepen our understanding of the hard work, hard negotiations, and hard bargains... during the building the country we share today.
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Hard Bargians > the sculptural idea
This sculpture is an invitation and a challenge for residents and visitors to reflect thoughtfully on these diplomatic efforts of 1777. Spotlighting and sharing this historic moment will deepen our understanding of the hard work, hard negotiations, and hard bargains... at the beginning of building the country we share today.
UPDATE IN PROCESS
Narrative description of the intention behind the Hard Bargains Sculpture project:
At first sight, as the viewers approaches from a distance, the intent is to provide an experience of scale and mass that marks a feeling of significance and arouses curiosity - an invitation to move in closer and explore the sculpture.
Second is the intent to have specific historical and conceptual information revealed through a sequence of discoveries.
This journey from the big idea, though a series of supporting ideas, is presented through visual metaphor, historical quotes, and descriptive text.
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If successful, the viewer leaves with memory of one or two big ideas, and yet with questions for further exploration about the nuances of those ideas as understood in the both the revolutionary war time period, and in our contemporary context.
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central block column - typical block 18" x 18"with small sculpture people in the process of building and holding it up