Since 1898, the Valentine Museum has collected, preserved, and interpreted the materials of Richmond’s life and history. This project came about as leadership took a hard look at its past. One of the museum’s founders was the eminent sculptor Edward Valentine. During his long career, he utilized a (20′ x 32′) 640-square-foot, double-story space to make sculptures of Confederate heroes and racist sculptures of local black citizens. His work is central to the Lost Cause movement and prominent in Richmond and nationwide, both at a civic and domestic scale. In 2020, Richmond’s renowned Monument Avenue sculptures were defaced and then dismantled as part of protests involving more profound issues of systemic racism in our country. This project is the careful and considered reinterpretation of Valentine’s studio to investigate these problematic and debated aspects of American history.
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Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the “Lost Cause” American Myth
Exhibition Interior Design (Built)
Firm
Studio Joseph
Architect/Designer
Wendy Joseph
Design Team
Wendy Evans Joseph, Monica Coghlan, Ksenia Dynking, Wonwoo Park, Alexandra Adamski, Anthony Roy, Brandon Studer, Ruben Gomez, Shriya Sanil, Fiorella Basso
Location
1015 E Clay St, Richmond, VA 23219
Country
United States
Photographer/Copyright
©Studio Joseph
Website
N/A
Instagram
N/A
The team’s commitment to community engagement was unwavering throughout the planning process. At every stage of the work, we shared our options and listened carefully to people’s responses to the ideas. Design drawings and interpretation/scripts went through numerous rounds of review, testing ideas for impact and cultural sensitivity. Despite the highly charged and debated history, with public support, the curatorial team took a strong position. The intimate setting of the small space was always at the forefront of our discussions, ensuring that our provocations would create conversation and not overwhelm visitors with dense content.
Inclusive Design and Renovation: The studio is not a registered historic space, and most of the original components have been changed, painted, and replaced prior to this project. The scope included upgrading MEP systems, adding fire suppression, re-staining hardwood floors, shoring the roof structure, installing shades, and repainting the walls and ceiling. The fireplace remains intact. Ambient and focused LED lighting is ceiling mounted. ADA access was added at the entry. The exhibitions support inclusive design with sensory, cognitive, and physical elements, ensuring all visitors feel welcome and accommodated.
Interpretation:
The space has three components that work together to create a visitor experience suitable for all ages. The materials are accessible to both those with prior knowledge and those unfamiliar with this aspect of American history. The central premise of the exhibition is to explain Lost Cause mythology. The discussion centers on tactics of racism that began in the earliest years of colonial settlement and continues today.
Physical presentation: There are five tables, three feet by six feet in plan. Each is rear illuminated with graphic panels. Vitrines for artifacts are set into and onto and on their surface. The narrative “Power Play” discusses tactics of racism—money, education, religion, politics, and violence are the discussion points. Four vertical banners or scrims extend from the vitrines to the ceiling, bringing scale to the space and creating interplay with the video projections.
Multi-media display: The north wall includes a shelf that displays 86 of Valentine’s sculptures (7 shelves, 16 feet high, with integrated spots and LED strip lighting). The 15-minute presentation is synchronized between rear-illuminated and front-projected interpretation.
Community Engagement: A wall-mounted display area encourages visitor feedback. Everyone can leave a hand-written message on a postcard. These are shared in the space and rotate to maintain a fresh, varied discourse. They are also employed by the museum during ongoing educational programs.