Joint Statement from Tom Finkelpearl and Darren Walker, Co-Chairs of the Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments, and Markers

October 10, 2017

"Tuesday's meeting marks an important step in the commission's work. While recent events have placed an understandable urgency on our work, these are by no means new controversies. Public sculptures and monuments have sparked intense debates stretching back decades. Monuments are lasting embodiments of our city and nation's people. Our goal is to make our public landscape more reflective of that rich and complicated history. This thoughtful community conversation is our city's first ever attempt at making these important strides possible.

"We know there are important conversations surrounding these structures happening all over New York City. In order to incorporate these dialogues in this comprehensive process, we will be hosting an online survey and several public forums across the city. The survey and forum schedule will be released in the coming days."