The University of Utah College of Law’s mission is to promote and increase access to justice in American society. As part of Black History Month and to honor Martin Luther King Jr., the law school has commissioned an artist to create a sculpture inspired by one of King’s famous quotes. On Feb. 24, the artist will speak at the S.J. Quinney College of Law about his vision for bringing justice alive through this project.
Edgar Arceneaux, a Los Angeles native, is the artist that was selected to create the sculpture.
“In the artist’s work, linear logic is abandoned in favor of wordplay and visual associations, revealing how language, technology, and systems of ordering produce reality as much as describe them,” said a recent press release from the U’s law school. “Arceneaux’s installations have taken the form of labyrinths, libraries, multi-channel videos, and drawn landscapes that change over the course of an exhibition, only ever offering a partial view of the whole at any given moment.”
The sculpture that Arceneaux will create is funded through various donors. The law school wants the piece to embody King’s iconic quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
Black History Month celebrates the continual progress toward achieving social justice for a historically marginalized. Many of the successes of the movement were achieved by lawyers and members of the judiciary working toward equal rights for people of color. The U’s College of Law wants to commemorate their work and inspire future lawyers to follow in their footsteps.
According to the press release, “Arceneaux’s concept, ‘The Crystal Paradox,’ will incorporate law books, letters about Dr. King and other artistic elements to bring a visual story of justice alive.”
The talk and reception will go from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will take place on the first floor of the S.J. Quinney College of Law building. He will discuss the project and his plans for it, as well as answer any questions that people may have.
“I’m really excited to see Arceneaux speak,” said Christopher Payne, a student studying English and considering pursuing a Juris Doctorate. “His work is really unique and interesting, and I think the sculpture will really help emphasize the college of law’s mission.”