Memory Bricks & The Family

Artist Winnie Owens-Hart is a native of Hall's Hill/High View Park (HHHVP), the neighborhood this park commemorates. Owens-Hart was commissioned to develop artwork reflective of the history and values of this predominantly African American community.

Memory Bricks grew out of ArtsWork, a summer employment program for creative youth. Under the direction of Owens-Hart, seven apprentices created decorative bricks and organized three community events where residents could also customize their own bricks. Images of Sankofa (a West African symbol representing learning from the past), churches, and bibles were inscribed into the bricks as well as names of HHHVP residents and ancestors. These images are visual reminders of the neighborhood’s past and now line the oval walkway on the west side of the park.

The apprentices who worked on this project are Jeffrey Augustine, Tristan Benjamin, Marie Cosgrove-Davies, Alexandra Krafchek, Delanta Neal, Julia Siple, and Jeannette Yue.

Interested in symbolizing HHHVP’s strong sense of community, the artist designed The Family, a monumental steel sculpture of a man, woman, and child with clasped hands. Arranged in a triangular configuration, this grouping symbolizes unity among families and residents of the neighborhood. The woman’s skirt is beautified with patterned relief, representative of traditional African scarification. Within this design is Braille text that acknowledges the vital role families play in the neighborhood. Five letters, HHHVP, stand on the west side of the park and provide prominent neighborhood identification.

The artist also worked with youth apprentices to create another work, Memory Bricks, at this same location.