MOLLY GOCHMAN | Memphis MEDICAL DISTRICT COLLABORATIVE | UrbanArt Commission
Monuments to Motherhood | Medical District Park
Budget: Funded by Molly Gochman
BACKGROUND
{Health Sciences Park located in the heart of the Memphis Medical District is now owned by Medical District Park, LLC., a subsidiary of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC). “We’re eager to collaborate with our key stakeholders and partners to make this a vibrant space for employees, students, residents and visitors to the Medical District,” said Medical District Park, LLC and MMDC President Rory Thomas. “Green spaces not only improve physical and mental health, but build community. To that end, we’re looking forward to sharing more exciting announcements that do just that!” } excert from Medical District Collaborative webpage.
On February 21 of 2025, Molly Gochman and Medical District Collaborative united to celebrate caregivers and the unveiling of the NEW Monuments to Motherhood sculptures installed in the Medical District Park.
This project aligns perfectly with the mission of the UrbanArt Commission—to transform public spaces by creating opportunities for artists and communities to come together. But in this instance, we are not just transforming a space physically—we are shifting the way we feel about it, the way we engage with it, and the stories we tell about it. The site of this installation carries deep historical weight. This is where the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue once stood, a space long associated with division. Now, we have the opportunity to reclaim this space with a different lens, monumentalizing not power through oppression, but power through care.
PROCESS
“Lakeisha Edwards is responsible for bringing the sculptures to Memphis. She is the executive director of the UrbanArt Commission there. UAC is a non-profit organization committed to creating opportunities for artists and neighborhoods to connect and shape spaces through public art. She became aware of and interested in Gochman’s work at a conference.”
You can read the full article here! Forbes article with Monuments to Motherhood in Medical District Collaborative Park
“The largest rises to 6’ 3” high and spans 9’ 8” wide, while the two others, though smaller, equally command attention, measuring 5’ 6” high and 3’ 11” high, respectively. Together, they weigh nearly 1,400 pounds, their bronze surfaces carefully crafted to evolve with time, transforming as people interact with them.”
For more information on the curation and installation process, view this ARTICLE that discusses the fabrication process!
The Artist:
Learn more about Monuments to Motherhood from Molly Gochman by listening to the MONUMENTS TO MOTHERHOOD podcast.
To learn more about Medical District Collaborative, visit this link.
