Bearing Witness, Public sculpture at Ronald Reagan Building in Washington D.C., United States
The bronze sculpture reaches forty feet in height and weighs 20,000 pounds, featuring overlapping metal sheets that form a curved, abstract shape.
Created in 1997 by artist Martin Puryear, the sculpture emerged from a government program requiring one percent of federal building costs dedicated to public art.
The sculpture's design incorporates elements influenced by African Fang masks, reflecting Puryear's interest in cultural forms and geometric abstraction in public spaces.
Located outside the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, visitors can walk directly up to the sculpture without barriers or pedestals.
The sculpture's construction involved collaboration with a Rhode Island shipbuilding company, utilizing marine engineering techniques for its metal framework.
GPS coordinates: 38.89368,-77.02994
Latest update: March 18, 2025 11:06
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