Richmond, Virginia, USA
Through thoughtful design and reinterpretation, Studio Joseph’s exhibition, Sculpting History and the American Myth, invites visitors to reflect on the intersection of art, memory, and historical narrative.
Edward Valentine (1838–1930) was a sculptor whose works greatly influenced the “Lost Cause” narrative, a post-Civil War ideology that romanticized the Confederacy and misrepresented its historical role.
The exhibition, which is housed at The Valentine museum in Richmond, Virginia, critically examines Valentine’s legacy.
The exhibition has earned widespread acclaim receiving an 2024 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Studio Joseph’s design approach highlights the tension between the historic and contemporary.
The studio space is reimagined to juxtapose Valentine’s sculptures with interpretive displays that deconstruct the narratives they represent.
Multimedia elements and carefully curated lighting evoke an atmosphere of introspection, encouraging visitors to consider how public art shapes collective memory.
The narrative embraces history via multiple perspectives, combining physical display and media-driven experience that is educational and highly emotional.
The studio is 640sf with one point of entry.
The original wood floors, windows, fireplace, and balcony remain.
The walls/ceiling have been repainted. Work also included fire safety and structural and mechanical upgrades.
Each table (varies about 36” x 72”) sets forward a theme, a tactic of oppression including education, politics, religion, money, and violence.
The tables support back-lit graphics, embedded cases with artifacts, and vitrines with sculptures.
Vertical scrims reach from the vitrines to the ceiling; they partially block the view of the images and are each printed with graphic representations.
There is wall text with images and interpretive text. The wall simplifies the studio volume, curving the corner by the balcony.
The graphic imagery, fonts, and minimal use of color are part of a highly reductive yet bold presentation.
A 15-minute film of the Lost Cause movement and its intention and addresses explicitly employing monuments as propaganda. It includes the eventual dismantling of Monument Avenue in Richmond.
They illuminate specific sculptures as they relate to the narrative at different times during the presentation.
There is an area for visitors to write their feelings and share them with the museum and others. Many are on display and later also communicated on the museum’s website.
Ongoing educational programs for the community help everyone to understand history.
There are 86 busts displayed on seven shelves reaching 16 feet high behind a scrim. There are two modes of lighting.
A continuous LED strip allows for overall soft illumination, and mini spots in sync with the narrative for single pieces or the entire wall can be shown.
At its core, Sculpting History and the American Myth is a powerful reminder of the role art plays in shaping historical narratives.
By examining the cultural and political motivations behind Valentine’s work, Studio Joseph challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about the past.
The exhibition also serves as a timely contribution to ongoing discussions about race, public memory, and the future of monuments in America.
Through its bold and thoughtful reinterpretation of history, Sculpting History and the American Myth exemplifies how design can inspire critical dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of our shared past.
Project: Sculpting History and the American Myth
Architects: Studio Joseph
Lead Architect: Wendy E. Joseph
General Contractor: Capitol Exhibit Services Inc.
Client: The Valentine
Photographs: Courtesy of the Architects