Pillar of Fire
14th and S Streets NW Washington, D.C.
Admission: Free
Handicapped Accessible
The Pillar of Fire, is a glass sculpture in Washington, D.C., draws its inspiration from the Book of Exodus, and serves to honor healthcare workers on the front lines of the AIDS pandemic.
The healthcare workers served a population that was being refused medical services everywhere else.
The sculpture is the creation of William Cochran, an artist known for his large-scale site-specific public art projects, and features 370 layers of cut and polished float glass post-tensioned into a concrete base with concrete footing. At night the work is illuminated to reveal slowly changing colors to represent an abstraction of the rainbow flag.
Pillar of Fire represents the ones who brought light into that darkness. It honors the courage, compassion and selfless service of HIV/AIDs healthcare workers who developed and served at the Whitman Walker Clinic from 1987 to 2008.
Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillar_of_Fire_(sculpture)
Fun Fact:
William Cochran seeks to create art that contributes to sustainable cities and healthy communities, as was the case with the Pillar of Fire.
