Libeskind to Design Holocaust Memorial

On May 6, three artists/designers—Ann Hamilton, Daniel Libeskind, Jaume Plensa—presented their designs for a holocaust memorial on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. A special selection committee chose Libeskind's design, an 18-foot-high stainless steel memorial featuring a broken Star of David. Local opposition came immediately, by people like Richard H. Finan, chairman of a review board that could potentially squash the decision. He said the religious symbolism is problematic, due to the separation of church and state, and that it will be a maintenance "nightmare." Regardless, Libeskind's selection seems appropriate, given that his career started with the Jewish Museum in Berlin and has included a number of related projects in the interim years.