RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The New York Time Style Magazine published an article on Thursday listing the 25 most influential works of American protest art since WWII. The Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue topped the list, specifically in its current state.
The City of Richmond saw a prolonged period of protests following the death of George Floyd in late May. The statue’s base is now covered in graffitied messages. Most messages on the statue are representing the Black Lives Matter movement or calls for police reform. Throughout the summer projections were displayed on the statue as well.
Isaiah Bowen, right, takes a shot as his dad, Garth Bowen, center, looks on at a basketball hoop in front of the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue on Sunday, Jun. 21, 2020, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) 
Hundreds of people in Richmond gather around the Robert E. Lee monument on June 3,2020. (Photo: 8News Reporter Talya Cunningham) 
As the judge issued her ruling, a group of area faith leaders pushing for an end to police brutality gathered near the Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue. (photo taken by 8News) 
Local band playing jazz infront of the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond. (Photo: 8News) 
EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY – FILE – In this Tuesday June 23, 2020, file photo protesters gather near the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va. Just a little over a month ago, the area around Richmond’s iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was as quiet and sedate as the statue itself. But since the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the area has been transformed into a bustling hub of activity for demonstrators protesting against police brutality and racism. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, FILE)
The circle around the statue became a frequent gathering space not only for protests but also for barbecues, basketball games, gardening and voter registration. For parts of the year a sign at the circle labeled the area as Marcus David-Peters Circle after a Richmond man shot and killed by police in May 2018.
In the article, artist Catherine Opie says she suggested the location because “the transformation of that space, to me, felt like exactly what protest art is.”
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