The public sculpture The Franconia Mound was a site specific piece situated at the Franconia Sculpture Park in rural Minnesota. The piece examined historical representations of authenticity and truth. The visitor to the park encountered a large earthen mound covered with astro-turf. The interior of the mound, a perfect white room with a soft shredded black rubber floor. Situated in the center of the room, a backlit image of water. On-site documentation (in the form of signage, buttons, stickers and brochures) present the mound as a historical landmark. The historical evidence is convincing and authentic whereas the mound itself obviously is not.
The presentation of history in the public landscape (national and state parks being one example of this) rings with an authentic, static truth that is misleading. Our interpretation of history is fluid and influenced by many factors, possibly the least important of which is the truth. The Franconia Mound sets out to expose this interpretational fallacy in an enjoyable, humorous way.
