As part of my ongoing Absent Monuments series, I have been erecting sculptural obelisks throughout New York City that serve as counter-monuments—marking the landscape with overlooked histories and honoring individuals and communities too often excluded from dominant narratives. These public installations take the form of mirrored obelisks, with bases wrapped in blue and white Dutch Delft-inspired tiles that incorporate original and archival photographs. By integrating photographic archives, the works displace dominant cultural histories and open empathetic pathways into the past.

The obelisk, a form steeped in imperial symbolism, is recontextualized here to reference both the legacies of fallen empires and the underacknowledged contributions of African and diasporic cultures. The mirrored surface reflects the viewer, inviting them into a moment of reverie while literally placing them within the landscape’s history.

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Each of the four obelisk series is site-responsive and dedicated to the unspoken stories of its neighborhood and the uncelebrated residents. These luminous structures are intended as spaces for reflection, celebration, and healing, correcting absences by honoring presence.