sanda iliescu

In April 2010, Yeardley Love, an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, was beaten to death by her estranged boyfriend, also a student at the university. A special “day of dialogue” was set aside to mourn Yardley’s death and spark a dialogue about violence against women on campus. To mark this event, the Dean of Students asked me to create a work of public art. As I thought of the tragedy, I remembered that in Romania, the country where I was born, women cover their faces in black, transparent veils during mourning rituals. But what could I veil that would be both memorable and important to the community? Then, one day, as I sat on the majestic steps of the Rotunda, the thought of veiling its gleaming white columns took shape. What better way to put Yeardley’s murder into focus than by taking the beautiful classical columns facing UVA’s Lawn and covering them with transparent dark veils? Jefferson’s columns are so bright, so suggestive of optimism, enlightenment, and natural grace. It seemed fitting that for a time they should turn heavy, melancholy, and introspective.

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