Right Here, Dinah Memorial at Stenton House, commission, 2024
Stenton Park, Philadelphia, PA,
The Memorial at Stenton House in Philadelphia, honors Dinah, a freed slave and servant who saved that mansion from torching by British soldiers in 1776. Little is known of Dinah’s life, so how do we keep her memory alive and active? Central to the memorial are two engraved stone tablets, posing similar questions. On one, questions are directed to Dinah (i.e. When were you born? What was your greatest sorrow? How did freedom feel? Did you ever wish you had let it burn?) On the other side, questions are asked of the visitor, who becomes both interviewer and interviewee. These inquiries also encourage individual reflection, tethering the past to now. Olivier’s memorial will consist of a circular installation comprised of four sections of limestone seating with inscribed stone slabs, embedded within the landscape. Olivier has created a contemplative, restorative, healing space that allows the public to claim and/or reclaim Dinah and acknowledge the important role African Americans (both before and post-slavery) played in the life of Stenton House and America at large.
