The Forward Together, Not One Step Back sculpture is in the Alumni Sculpture Garden. The Alumni Sculpture Garden showcases temporary installations of sculpture by students and alumni on the University grounds.
Artist Statement
"Forward together, not one step back." – Mantra chanted by students, professors, and community members of various races, genders, and ages who peacefully assembled in front of South Building on November 14, 2017, to protest the Silent Sam monument on McCorkle Place.
This site-specific glazed stoneware sculpture visualizes the soundwaves of the audio captured at the 2017 Silent Sam protest. During this demonstration, activists chanted the phrase in the sculpture's title while marching toward the former Confederate monument on campus. Positioned in a high-traffic area, the sculpture serves as an offering of anti-racist cultural artifacts on campus and provides a venue for discussions about the legacy of slavery and ongoing racism within the university's institutions.
Created by Meredith Emery (2019).