MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL PROJECT
COMMISSIONS MINNESOTA ROCKS! ARTIST LEI YIXIN

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Project announced Thursday in Washington D. C. the commission of artist Lei Yixin to create the central feature of the memorial: a 28 foot tall carved granite Stone of Hope.  It will be set within a 4-acre Memorial landscape on the National Mall, at the edge of the Tidal Basin and within view of the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials.  The overall project was designed by San Francisco-based ROMA Design Group.

Lei Yixin was brought to the memorial project as a result of his participation in the International Stone Carving Symposium -- Minnesota Rocks! – produced by Public Art Saint Paul May – June, 2006.

As the Memorial’s design team searched for an artist capable of creating such a monumental stone sculpture, they found Minnesota Rocks! web site on the internet and subsequently traveled to Saint Paul to see the artists gathered for the Symposium. 

The Memorial Foundation’s Executive Architect, Dr. Ed Jackson, Jr. later wrote to Public Art Saint Paul: “The Martin Luther Kind, Jr. National Memorial Project has greatly benefited from meeting such extraordinary artists, gaining better familiarity with their work, and seeing them in action.  Your work is greatly appreciated by the Foundation, as it has helped to begin a conversation with Lei Yixin.  [Minnesota Rocks!} was a wonderful event... " to read more download a pdf (50kb) of the full press release from Public Art Saint Paul & the official MLK Memorial Press Release pdf here (50kb)