and another from ethnic studies
congregated around the Pioneer
Mother installation for a discussion.
Another unexpected product of the
installations was their documentation on
social media. The physical installations
were exhibited in the landscape only for
seven days; however, their conceptual
presence and impact was extended
on social media such as Facebook and
Instagram. Images of the Pioneer
Mother installation were shared more
than 500 times within the first five days,
subsequently engaging viewers beyond
Eugene and even outside of Oregon.
What was a meaningful outcome of
the class for you?
BM: It was so gratifying to see
people walking through our exhibit
and reading the signs. Even as we were
installing the posts, on a rainy Oregon
spring day, people were approaching
and engaging with our work. Over the
week that it was on display around The
Pioneer Mother statue, every time I
passed by, there were people walking
through and reading the signs. I hope
it inspired thoughtful reflection and
discussion among those who saw it.
Endnotes
1. Address delivered by Joseph N. Teal
on the occasion of the unveiling of The
Pioneer. May 22, 1919. Oregon Historical
Quarterly/Volume 20.
2. Proctor, A.P. Sculptor in Buckskin: The
Autobiography of Alexander Phimister Proctor.
Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 2009, 203.
3. U. S. Census Bureau. Demographic turning
points for the United States: Population
projections for 2020 to 2060. Mar. 2018;
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/
Census/library/publications/2018/demo/
Whitney Holt is a landscape designer
and artist in San Francisco. She is a recent
graduate of the Master of Landscape
Architecture program at the University of
Oregon. Her interests include inclusive design,
collaborative processes, and the confluence of
art, social justice, and environmental systems.
→ wfh@uoregon.edu
Brittany Murphy is a recent graduate of the
Master of Landscape Architecture program
at the University of Oregon. Her professional
interests include urban water and greenspace,
landscape narratives, and interactions
between people and nature. She aims to
improve the lives of people and the health of
the environment around them.
→ bmurphy7@uoregon.edu
settlement and the long-enduring
patterns of white supremacy and
racial injustice.
What interesting outcomes or
responses did you see arising from
the project?
WH: The students did an incredible
job. I was so impressed by their
thoughtfulness and craftspersonship.
Both of the installations challenged
predominant historical narratives and
invited critical contemplation. Moreover,
I think the class and the installations
demonstrated that collaborative art
making is a viable tool for landscape
architecture for the purposes of engaging
communities and soliciting participants’
unique values, and that it warrants
further research. Of the 10 participating
students, nine felt that collaborative
art making promoted empathy and the
understanding of divergent perspectives,
while one student indicated that they
were unsure. Many students reported
that the process of translating disparate
ideas and values into a cohesive art piece
incited dialogue and thus encouraged
deeper understanding.
Unexpectedly, the installations
provoked discourse among other
classes on the UO campus. One
class from the planning department
DOI: 10.1145/3274576 COPYRIGH T HELD BY AUTHORS. PUBLICATION RIGHTS LICENSED TO ACM. $15.00ACM.
Pioneer Mother installation Peace (PAX) for Who? by Brittany Murphy, Katya Reyna, Emma Stone,
Summer Young, and Ryan Nicholson.
Close up of a sign post from the Pioneer Mother installation Peace (Pax) for Who?
