Dignity, Steel statue at the Chamberlain Interstate Welcome Center, Chamberlain, South Dakota, US.
Dignity is a 50-foot stainless steel sculpture at the Chamberlain Interstate Welcome Center along Interstate 90, overlooking the Missouri River. The figure of an Indigenous woman in Plains-style dress raises her arms behind her to hold a star quilt, 32 feet wide, set with more than 100 blue diamond shapes that move in the wind.
The sculpture was created by artist Dale Lamphere in 2016 and installed to mark the 125th anniversary of South Dakota's founding as a state. A private donation of over one million dollars made the project possible.
The name refers to a traditional Dakota and Lakota word for female strength. The figure holds a star quilt, a blanket type that continues to play a central role in ceremonies among these tribes today.
The sculpture stands at a rest area along Interstate 90 between exits 263 and 265 and is accessible around the clock. From there, you can also see a view over the Missouri River valley.
Lamphere worked with three women from different generations to shape the facial features of the figure. At night, LED lighting highlights the movable metal parts of the blanket and they are visible from the highway.
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