Piedmont Pines Club Homeowners Association

"Remember Them: Monument to Humanity"

Imagine a monument 70 feet long and 25 feet tall, featuring 22 of the world's most profound contributors to humanity. Then imagine that monument sitting above the fountain in Joaquin MIller Park. Such is the life-long dream of Oakland artist Mario Chiodo, who is getting very close to turning this dream into reality. As you can see by the photos below, the monument is awesome in its scope; but what you can't tell, is the power of its size and scale. It will become a destination for visitors, and will help kindle pride in Oakland as a place that understands the importance of fine arts in public places. Not only will the monument put our beloved park on the map for its beauty, but also for its educational value. Mario plans signage that will educate viewers on the historical importance of each person who earned a spot in the monument.

This electronic rendering of Monument to Humanity uses the model to demonstrate
the awesome scale of this project. The artist plans to create the finished monument in bronze.

The sculpture is in no way intended to be representative of a certain group, be it religious, social, political, racial, spiritual, or economic, but simply people who have inspired the artist that he would like to share with others. They include Maya Angelou, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mother Teresa, Thich Nhat Hanh, Chief Joseph, Oskar Schindler, Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Ralph Abernathy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Mahatma Gandhi, Helen Keller, Abraham Lincoln, 2 nameless students from Tiananmen Square, Sir Winston Churchill, Cesar Chavez, Primo Levi, Susan B. Anthony, Shirin Ebadi and Nelson Mandela.

The artist chose these 22 individuals as people who helped others in extremely difficult situations, overcoming obstacles considered impossible by many. "The fact that they come from all over the world is purely coincidental," says Chiodo, "and in many ways inspiring to know that acts of greatness can come from anyone. This sculpture combines well-known figures with people less known in our area, like Primo Levi and Shirin Ibata, who have also done great deeds."

Chiodo plans to raise 100% of the financing for constructing and installing the monument from private sources. What he's not certain about is approval from the planning commission to install it on public land. That's where you come in. If you agree that the spot above the fountain in Joaquin Miller Park (visible from Joaquin Miller Drive) would make the perfect home for this impressive monument, vote your support by sending in the petition below, which we will forward to the planning commission along with the 67 signatures gathered at the Association's community meeting on 10/18/2004.

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