Artist Name: Craig David
Media: Laminated granite and limestone, steel, concrete, garden plants
Date Created: 8/1/2004
Location: Parque De Castillo
History: The piece represents the mythological mother or queen of the immigrant families living in the West Side of Saint Paul. The different layers represent the vast ethnic diversity of the West Side, from the early Jewish to the present Hispanic community. The steel upright originally served as a tie beam on the old Wabasha Street Bridge. “This sculpture is an assemblage of laminated stone that abstractly and metaphorically represents the figure of the immigrant woman, and her heroism in coming to her new land.” David explains, “The concept of ‘The Queen of the Wandering Races’ came to mind from the poetry of Pablo Neruda. My hopes are that this art work will, over time, become an icon that represents the masses of immigrants and humanity that have moved through our community in the past, present and future.”
David graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976, with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education and received from the University of Oregon his Master of Fine Arts in Painting. Presently he creates collaborative environmental site works, drawing on the culture of the people for whom he creates the piece. He lives in the West Side of Saint Paul.