Edward Valentine was a sculptor and key figure in creating the Lost Cause mythology that permeated the nation after the Civil War. His family founded The Valentine Museum. Located at the core of the museum’s campus since 1936, his studio now reflects an honest examination of his work in the broader context of racist ideology and its implications in the public realm through civic monuments.
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The Valentine Museum “Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the “Lost Cause” American Myth”
Interior Design (Built)
Firm
Studio Joseph
Architect/Designer
Wendy Joseph
Design Team
Wendy Evans Joseph, Principal Monica Coghlan, Project Designer Alexandra Adamski, Architectural Designer Ruben Gomez Diaz, Designer Ksenia Dynkin, Content Strategy, Media Strategy Wonwoo Park, Designer Anthony Roy, Graphic Designer Brandon Studer, Graphic Designer Fiorella Basso, Graphic Designer
Location
Richmond, V
Country
United States
Photographer/Copyright
©Naho Kubota Photography
The museum hosted multiple public engagement opportunities before the design process began and at each milestone. Community input via online surveys, focus groups, group tours, and public programs significantly shaped the final installation. We tested both content and design ideas to confirm that the historical narrative and the use of artifacts were understood as intended. The project includes the architectural transformation of the interior to support a narrative armature.
The project included structural upgrades, mechanical and life safety systems, and moisture-proofing of the shell. At only 640 square feet, the installation presents multiple visitor experiences, including physical design and multi-media interactives. They work together to reinforce narrative content while allowing space for guests to gather, learn, reflect, or engage in dialogue with one another.
A collection of 84 of Valentine’s vast archives of sculptures is displayed behind a black scrim. This strategy takes their power while conveying a sense of the scale. LED strips at each shelf and individual spotlights synchronize with the projection to create an awe-inspiring, transformative visitor experience. A 15-minute media projection provides a sensory experience for visitors while they explore the tables. It further enhances the connection between historical events and contemporary issues with projected diagrams, animations, maps, and other graphic elements, simultaneous with the related sculptures illuminating from behind the scrim. The dramatic effect helps visitors to understand the context without aggression.
The tables have surfaces of approximately 3 feet by 6 feet with backlit graphics. Each talks to a racist tactic—violence, religion, politics, money, education. The top surface floats on recessed bases, allowing visitors to stand or sit on stools. In addition to carefully crafted texts, vitrines containing relevant artifacts and sculptures are embedded below and placed on the surface. A series of scrims attach from the table to the ceiling at the vitrines, bringing the full scale of the room into view and partially obscuring more racist artifacts. Community response is vital to the educational process. It occurs at a kiosk where visitors can write a response and share their thoughts with others. These comments are posted online, continuously updated, and displayed in the studio to reflect current sentiments.
The results have exceeded expectations in terms of impact. Visitation in 2024 increased by over 125% compared to the same period in 2023, and member visits have more than quadrupled. The length of an individual visit has proved to be twice that anticipated as most people watch the entire film and engage with the table-based content and the community response kiosk.