В Чикаго выбрали скульптора и архитектора для создания памятника основателю города Жан-Батисту Поинт Дюсэлю

The Chicago Park District has selected renowned sculptor Branly Cadet and architect Rodney Leon to create a full-body statue of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable for the long-awaited DuSable Park near the mouth of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. The Park District announced the selection August 22, 2026, during the DuSable Heritage Association’s annual wreath-laying ceremony at the bust of Chicago’s founder at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave. Cadet will research, design and sculpt the statue, collaborate on its base and lighting, and oversee the bronze casting and installation. Leon will advise on interpretive writing, symbolic elements, lighting and placement while coordinating technical aspects of the sculpture’s support, base fabrication and installation. The artists will help complete a vision that dates to 1987, when Mayor Harold Washington dedicated the 3.44-acre peninsula as DuSable Park. Peggy Montes, a longtime DuSable Park advocate and former chair of the DuSable Museum’s board of trustees, has been among those who pushed for decades to develop the site. The Park District opened its search in March 2026 and gave priority to Haitian artists or teams, particularly those with strong ties to the Chicago region. A panel of Park District staff members and members of the DuSable Park Steering Committee selected Cadet after reviewing three finalists. “Through their visionary art, Branly Cadet and Rodney Leon will pioneer a powerful tribute to Chicago’s first permanent settler, beautifully lifting up the rich diversity, deep history and vibrant cultural stories of our city,” Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said. Ramirez-Rosa said the work will advance the district’s Sculptural Diversification Project, which commissions public art, restores historic monuments and reinterprets existing works, as well as the Chicago Monuments Project’s effort to broaden neighborhood representation and historical narratives. Cadet and Leon are American-born artists of Haitian descent. Cadet said the project carries special meaning for him and will preserve DuSable’s legacy for future generations. “This monument shall stand as a permanent reminder to future generations of DuSable’s historic contribution and legacy to the founding and establishment of Chicago as one of the greatest cities in the United States of America and the world,” Cadet said. Cadet’s other works include “The Ark of Return” at the United Nations; “ARISE: Ancestral Heirs Illuminate Truth” at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama; and “Stealing Home: The Jackie Robinson Memorial” at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Leon said DuSable’s life of exploration, immigration, diplomacy and entrepreneurship has long inspired him. “It is truly an honor to play a role in creating this monument in partnership with Branly Cadet,” Leon said. DuSable, a Haitian pioneer, established a thriving trading post near the Chicago River in the late 18th century. The statue will be a centerpiece of the park, which also will include public art honoring DuSable, his Potawatomi wife and cultural ambassador Kitihawa, and Indigenous voices. Interpretive signs, a historical timeline and landscapes reflecting the area’s cultural legacy are also planned. Additional installations will be developed with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events as part of the Chicago Monuments Project. The statue’s $500,000 budget covers design, engineering, fabrication, site preparation and installation. A $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, spearheaded by state Sen.Mattie Hunter, will fund most of the project. The Park District will contribute $100,000. Construction of DuSable Park is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2027. The statue is scheduled to be installed before the park opens.