Dear Neighbors,
If you’ve driven through St. Paul recently, you may have seen that our Minnesota State Capitol building is under heavy renovation. Major sections of the inside of the building are being gutted and a three-year, $300+ million rebuild and restoration is in process.
This is a much-needed update to a building that has reliably served our state since 1907. You can learn much more about the changes taking place by visiting the Minnesota State Capitol Restoration Project website at http://www.mn.gov/admin/capitol-restoration/.
As part of the renovation, all furniture and artwork has either been removed from the rooms and walls of the Capitol, or carefully and securely covered. Discussions have now begun on what artwork should be brought back and what should be removed and stored or displayed elsewhere when the building re-opens.
Our State Capitol is home to 148 pieces of art including murals, paintings, portraits, and busts. Some people believe several of the paintings are controversial due to the subject matter, or for the alleged subjugation of women and Native Americans. For example, four paintings depicting Native Americans—Father Hennepin Blessing St. Anthony Falls, Battle of Killdeer Mountain, Attack on New Ulm and the Treaty of Traverse De Sioux—have been deemed by some to be insensitive and historically inaccurate. Additionally, some Civil War murals have been criticized for depicting too much violence. The strongest critics are asking for these works of art to be removed from the Capitol.
On the other side of that argument, advocates for continuing to display all of these works of art argue that these pieces display an important part of Minnesota's history, and we cannot ignore our past or censor artwork to avoid offense. Plus, while some people see violence in a Civil War scene, for example, others see historical significance and the brave sacrifice of Minnesota citizens. What's more, with some of these paintings and murals permanently affixed to walls, the cost of moving or removing them would be substantial and risk ruining the art.
To address the controversy, a subcommittee has been formed to deal with the topic of art display and preservation for the historic works in the building. The Art Subcommittee has held ten meetings so far with two more scheduled for January, and has been tasked with debating what to do with controversial artwork including Civil War murals and art displaying Native Americans, as well has how to handle an abundance of governors' portraits.
The Art Subcommittee has brought this issue up for public debate, holding input meetings across the state thus far in Rochester, Minneapolis, Willmar, Mankato, Duluth, Bemidji, St. Paul, Bloomington, Hutchinson and Minnetonka.
Some additional suggestions brought up at these public meetings on how to handle the controversial Capitol art include providing plaques adjacent to the artwork to offer perspective on what the art is displaying, and incorporating more diverse art from current artists to offer alternative perspectives.
In addition to controversial art, another topic for the Art Subcommittee is what to do with the growing number of governor portraits in the Capitol. Some would like to see a standardized portrait size going forward for easier display, while others have recommended creating a Hall of Governors in the Capitol. Still, other people have suggested removing the portraits from the Capitol all together and moving them offsite to somewhere like the Minnesota Historical Society located two blocks from the Capitol.
What do you think? As this is an ongoing issue of debate around Minnesota, I'd like to hear your thoughts on historical Capitol art. This building belongs to all of us, and I'd welcome your input on this issue. My direct line is 651-296-7806. My email address is rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn and my mailing address is Room 459 State Office Building, 100 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Joyce
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/34A