‘Healing’ art to replace obelisk?

Abiquiú sculptor pitches plan for monument in Santa Fe Plaza

SANTA FE — It remains unknown what will replace the Soldier’s Monument, an obelisk that stood at the heart of Santa Fe’s historic Plaza for 152 years before it was torn down by activists during an Indigenous Peoples Day rally in October.

But some Santa Fe locals have already begun creating elaborate plans for a new centerpiece for the Plaza, still the cultural heart of Santa Fe in many ways.

One of those locals is Doug Coffin, an Abiquiúbased sculptor who’s lived in northern New Mexico for the past 42 years.

His idea for a monument revolves around a need on the minds of many Santa Feans at this time: a staggering drought that increasingly threatens water supplies. The monument would be titled “Water Prayer.”

His design, a 15-foot almost cylindrical sculpture placed on top the remnants of the obelisk’s base, has been a work in progress for five years. The idea came to him from years of extended drought Santa Fe and northern New Mexico have endured.

“We didn’t have a normal water accumulation last year,” Coffin said. “A couple of bad years, and we’re in trouble.”

He had been wondering what to do with his design when protesters, who considered the obelisk — which once bore an inscription honoring soldiers who fought “savage Indians” — a symbol of oppression of Native American people, suddenly tore the monument down. That’s when he decided Water Prayer could be the next replacement, although such a decision is ultimately in the hands of city officials.

The city has already started a process to determine what to do about replacing the damaged obelisk.

Coffin, who has Potawatomi and Creek heritage, said that in addition to the sculpture, he would like to bury remnants of the toppled obelisk in the ground nearby with clear glass on top so that passersby can see them.

“I see it being an act of respect,” he said. “This is kind of my way of promoting the healing situation.”

His design would also include a small box, where people could drop letters expressing their thoughts, prayers, ideas and feelings. Coffin said they could be burned once year, similar to Zozobra, as a way of excising bad feelings.

He’s been advocating heavily for his design in recent days, including creating a website, YouTube account and Twitter about the project. He also paid for an advertising insert that was distributed in the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper.

The city recently created a committee to address the city’s monuments and their controversial history.

The plan is for the committee to present suggestions to the City Council by the end of the year.

Coffin said he plans to attend all meetings to promote his sculpture to the community.