Mother Peace is a 30 ton sculpture constructed from steel girders and designed to be kinetically activated.
The sculpture was installed in front of the Alameda County Courthouse in Oakland for the 1974 Public Sculptures: Urban Spaces exhibition. Upon seeing it, County Supreme Court Judge Lewis E. Lercara declared the work an abomination and said, "Just because someone gets a grant doesn't mean they have to deface the city." The Judge collected signatures demanding the immediate removal of Mother Peace and brought the matter to the Oakland City Council. The public packed City Hall to speak out on the issue, with many Bay Area artists defending the work.
After much discussion, the Council voted to dismantle the sculpture at the end of the exhibition. Mother Peace went on to a Whitney Museum exhibit where it was displayed in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn and was well received. The sculpture now resides at the Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY alongside other notable di Suvero works. See http://www.stormking.org/MarkdiSuvero.html.
Created by Mark di Suvero .
Media: Steel .
Located 1225 Fallon St. @12th St. (East Downtown / District 2 in Oakland)
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Installed 1974
