The Valentine removed the Jefferson Davis statue from its exhibition, “This Is Richmond, Virginia,” on Tuesday, Aug. 19, preparation for a loan to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles for an upcoming exhibition. The statue, which had been on view since 2022, will remain part of The Valentine’s collection. Bonsai Fine Arts Handling assisted with the removal. “We’re so glad it is going to be shown to a new community and to see how Californians respond,” said Christina K. Vida, Elise H. Wright curator of general collections at The Valentine. During its three years on display, The Valentine collected more than 7,000 responses from a public survey on monuments and public art and plans to compile the feedback for a discussion event, comparing it with survey results from California while the statue is on display there. The statue will remain in its current condition, laid on its side with paint splatters, remnants of a 2020 toilet paper noose, a tear in its arm, and uric acid stains. “We really wanted to make sure that this piece was not ever going to be used to perpetuate the myth of the Lost Cause, and so by having it displayed in its 2020 state we can ensure that it helps undo some of the damage it did for so long here in Richmond,” Vida said.
