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A new kind of monument just landed in Brooklyn, and it’s not celebrating war, politics or power, but something far more universal: care.
Unveiled today at the Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park, “Monuments to Motherhood,” a towering bronze sculpture by artist and activist Molly Gochman that is part of an eponymous series, stands 15 feet tall and offers a tribute to caregiving in all its beautiful, invisible and often thankless forms. Positioned just steps from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch, this massive coil-like figure aims to reclaim space for labor that usually goes unrecognized in the public sphere. It will be on view through May 2026.
Crafted using casts of household items like bowls, foil and plastic wrap—all symbols of domestic work and nurturing—the sculpture is part of Gochman’s ongoing effort to reshape the American monument landscape. Cast in bronze, the sculpture is made to be touched and altered by time and visitors: the more hands interact with it, the more the sculpture’s patina will shift, a visual echo of caregiving’s enduring, evolving mark on society.
“This work is a monument to all of us, including the millions of people—parents, nurses, childcare workers, home health aides—who perform acts of care every day, often without recognition,” said Gochman in an official statement. “It feels deeply resonant to bring this sculpture to Grand Army Plaza, a site of both public commemoration and every day movement.”
The installation marks the beginning of a full season of events in Prospect Park, featuring family-friendly programming and a special Mother’s Day gathering. The sculpture also quietly commemorates the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown, honoring the unseen acts of care that held communities together.
"Monuments to Motherhood" is also a surprising step toward balancing New York’s monument landscape, where women remain sorely underrepresented. In a city with 150 public statues honoring historical figures, only eight depict women.
So pause and take a look if you're chasing kids through the park, grabbing greens at the Greenmarket or cruising Flatbush on your morning run. This one’s for mom.