LaToya Ruby Frazier. More Than Conquerors: A Monument for Community Health Workers of Baltimore, Maryland 2021-2022, 2022. Installation view at Gladstone Gallery, New York, 2 March-15 April 2023. Image: Baltimore Museum of Art

LaToya Ruby Frazier’s monument honoring community health workers is a powerful tribute to the unsung heroes who courageously served underserved communities in Baltimore during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

A Monument for Community Health Workers

In an exciting development, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has acquired LaToya Ruby Frazier’s celebrated installation titled More Than Conquerors: A Monument for Community Health Workers of Baltimore, Maryland, 2021-2022. This captivating artwork consists of portraits and related narratives mounted on 18 socially distanced, stainless-steel IV poles. It pays homage to the invaluable work carried out by community health workers in Baltimore during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. By memorializing the efforts of these unsung heroes, the installation challenges our traditional notions of monument-making and prompts us to reflect on who and how we honor them.

The Acquisition and Origin of the Installation

More Than Conquerors is the generous gift of the Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland, to the Baltimore Museum of Art. LaToya Ruby Frazier initially created this installation for the 58th Carnegie International, where it won the prestigious Carnegie Prize. It was later presented at the Gladstone Gallery in New York before finding its permanent home at the BMA. The artwork will go on display in 2025 as part of a year-long initiative on the environment.

Recognizing the Impact of LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Artistry

Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Wagner Wallis Director, expressed her appreciation for the distinct quality of LaToya Ruby Frazier’s artistry and her ability to capture stories of profound personal and communal significance. “The installation offers a poignant tribute to some of the most important but underacknowledged heroes of our community, and it is with great pride and gratitude that we are able to share that it will become part of the BMA’s collection,” she said.  She also extended gratitude to Mitch and Emily Rales, the co-founders of Glenstone, for their vision and support in acquiring the piece.

Emily Wei Rales, Director and co-founder of the Glenstone Museum, emphasizes that the meaning of More Than Conquerors is closely tied to its location. She explained that with Baltimore’s community as the primary audience, the decision to gift the artwork to the Baltimore Museum of Art ensures that the individuals served by the community health workers are also the ones who can witness this impactful installation.

LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Collaboration with Dr. Lisa Cooper

More Than Conquerors is the result of LaToya Ruby Frazier’s longstanding collaboration with Dr. Lisa Cooper, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity. Their relationship began in 2015 during a conversation hosted by The Contemporary and the Baltimore School for the Arts, where they explored the intersection of art, science, and medicine in addressing environmental racism.

Following the Baltimore School for the Arts event, Dr. Lisa Cooper and Frazier continued their personal dialogue. During the pandemic, Frazier received the National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship (2020–2021) and a commission for the 58th Carnegie International. It was her personal experience of medical injustice while seeking a COVID-19 vaccination that inspired her to develop a project shedding light on healthcare inequity and celebrating those working on the frontlines to bring about change.

Community Health Workers as Unsung Heroes

Since the 1970s, Community Health Workers (CHWs) have played a vital role in serving underserved communities, overcoming barriers to healthcare access, and advocating for individuals within healthcare systems and state health departments. Throughout the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, CHWs actively shared information, encouraged vaccine acceptance, and provided crucial support and access to marginalized communities. Despite their instrumental contributions to Baltimore and numerous cities across the nation, CHWs often remain unrecognized as the unsung heroes of the pandemic, dedicated to ensuring medical justice and healthcare equity. This is why Frazier’s work is even more important. It gives credence and recognition to the Community Health Workers, many of whom lost their lives trying to save others.

Unveiling the Portraits, Stories, and Voices

LaToya Ruby Frazier collaborated with Johns Hopkins University, practitioners, educators, and healthcare advocates, as well as other organizations. She connected with Tiffany Scott, co-founder and Chair of the Maryland Community Health Worker Association, along with a group of CHWs who were actively engaged in vaccination efforts from 2020 to 2021. More Than Conquerors serves as a platform for revealing their portraits, sharing their stories, and amplifying their voices. The installation creates a poignant monument to their tireless efforts and recognizes their invaluable contributions to countless lives and the overall health of many communities.

About LaToya Ruby Frazier

LaToya Ruby Frazier, born in 1982 in Braddock, PA, is an artist whose practice engages with social justice movements, cultural change, and the American experience. Her diverse body of work encompasses various mediums, including photography, video, performance, installation, and books. Frazier’s collaborative storytelling approach captures the voices and stories of the individuals represented in her artworks. Her previous projects have tackled subjects such as industrialism, revitalization of the rust belt, environmental justice, access to healthcare and clean water, workers’ rights, family dynamics, and collective history. Her work has been exhibited extensively in solo exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe and is held in numerous public art collections. Frazier has received several accolades, including the 2020–21 National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship and a commission for the 58th Carnegie International.

LaToya Ruby Frazier Honors Community Health Workers

Conclusion

LaToya Ruby Frazier’s More Than Conquerors: A Monument for Community Health Workers of Baltimore, Maryland 2021-2022 is a powerful and thought-provoking installation that shines a spotlight on the essential work of community health workers during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. By acquiring this monumental artwork, the Baltimore Museum of Art honors these unsung heroes and offers an alternative perspective on the concept of monuments. This acquisition stands as a testament to the BMA’s commitment to representing meaningful stories and engaging its community.