The Charleston Gaillard Center today announced three Charlestonians to be honored in Monuments, an outdoor projection-based installation by internationally acclaimed artist Craig Walsh. Nominated by the community and selected by a jury of local leaders, the honorees will be featured in the installation, on view from February 27 to March 31 (nightly; 7:00pm – 10:00pm; 8:30pm – 10:00pm on Friday, February 27) on George Street in front of the Gaillard.
The Monuments honorees are Diane Hamilton, a West Ashley educator, historian, and community advocate whose work has preserved the history of the Maryville neighborhood; Leroy Moore, a case manager with North Charleston–based nonprofit Neighbors Together who supports individuals and families through direct service and resource connection; and Jeffrey Yungman, an assistant public defender whose career has focused on legal advocacy for vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness.
“These honorees reflect the spirit of Monuments—individuals whose impact is deeply felt in everyday ways,” said Lissa Frenkel, President and CEO of the Charleston Gaillard Center. “By elevating unsung heroes through this work, we are invited to reconsider who we honor and why, and to recognize the people shaping Charleston through service, advocacy, and care.”
Monuments is a globally recognized public art project that challenges traditional ideas of commemoration. Using large-scale projected portraits mapped onto trees, Walsh creates temporary, luminous monuments honoring living community members rather than historical figures. Each installation is site-specific and ephemeral, encouraging reflection on visibility, legacy, and collective memory.
Free and open to the public, Monuments transforms the streetscape into a shared space for recognition and reflection, underscoring the Gaillard’s commitment to accessible, community-centered art experiences.
A distinguished local jury reviewed nominations and selected the honorees featured in Monuments:
- Rabbi Stephanie Alexander, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE), Senior Rabbi
- Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell, Closing the Gap in Health Care, Founder
- LaVanda Brown, YWCA Greater Charleston, Executive Director
- Lee Deas, Obviouslee, Founder
- Jayme Host, College of Charleston School of the Arts, Dean
- Asiah Mae, Second Poet Laureate of Charleston, SC
- John Powell, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, President and CEO
- Jonatan Guerrero Ramirez, We Are Family, Program Director
- Marka Danielle Rodgers, Dancer and Accessible Yoga Instructor
- Timothy Rogers, Charleston Stage, Managing Director
- Nicole Taney, Charleston Gaillard Center, VP of Artistic Programming
This project is funded in part by Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation.