District of Columbia Department of General Services (DCDGS) acquired and permanently installed “Hope and Dream Under Glory” by celebrated Washington, D.C. contemporary artist Victor Ekpuk. “Hope and Dream Under Glory” made its debut this week and was installed in front of Boone Elementary School.
The artwork was created to stimulate the minds of young students and reflect the cultural and historical impact of the community. The 20-feet statue is the first artwork installed permanently outside the school. It is also the largest public art in South East Washington DC.
“It was serendipitous that the mascot of Boone Elementary school is a Black Panther,” said Ekpuk. “In the African culture that inspires my work, the power of the feline spirit is encoded in secret symbols and graphic signs called nsibidi. By weaving together, the mystery, power and history of the black panther with the vibrancy and spirit of the children of Boone Elementary and their community, this sculpture is designed to visually stimulate, inspire, inform and challenge the imaginations of young minds,” he finished.
“It is my hope that this sculpture will perhaps be part of a broader conversation about the history of Africans in America, I am honored for the opportunity to contribute to the memory of a community.”
Hope and Dream Under Glory
Like the ancient Iroko tree, holding up its branches and proclaiming
‘I am still standing, my roots are deep, I have no fear of the wind”.
He rises in tribulation carrying the memory, knowledge and wisdom of his ancestors encoded in signs and symbols. -Victor Ekpuk
About Victor Ekpuk
Victor Ekpuk is a Nigerian-American artist. His studio is in the Eckington neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. He is renowned for glyph-like paintings and drawings that are inspired by the aesthetic concepts of indigenous African writing systems and graphic symbols from diverse cultures. His work frequently explores the human condition, drawing upon a wide spectrum of meaning that is rooted in African and global contemporary art discourses.
Ekpuk has been awarded several commissions by museums in the United States. In 2016, he was commissioned by The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African Art to design trophies awarded to recipients of the museum’s first African Art Awards.
Source: Victor Ekpuk
