''Dignity of Earth and Sky'' (shortened to ''Dignity'' for brevity) is a

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

on a bluff overlooking the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

near

Chamberlain, South Dakota Chamberlain is a city in Brule County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the east bank of the Missouri River, at the dammed section of the Lake Francis Case, close to where it is crossed by Interstate 90. The population of Chamberl ...

. The 50-foot (15.24 meter) high stainless steel statue by

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

artist laureate Dale Claude Lamphere depicts an Indigenous woman in Plains-style dress receiving a star quilt. According to Lamphere, the sculpture honors the culture of the

Lakota Lakota may refer to: *Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes *Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan languages, Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of ...

and Dakota peoples who are indigenous to South Dakota. Assisting Lamphere were sculptors Tom Trople, Jim Maher, Andy Roltgen, and Grant Standard. Automotive paint expert Brook Loobey assisted with the colors for the quilt, and Albertson Engineering of

Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek (South Dakota), Rapid Creek, where the settlement deve ...

, ensured the sculpture would endure the strong winds common in the area.

History

Norm and Eunabel McKie of

, announced their gift of ''Dignity'' to the State of South Dakota in 2014, in honor of the 125th anniversary of South Dakota statehood. The artist began by first drawing the form and then sculpting a one-eighth-scale model. The sculpture was created in an isolated area near the

Cheyenne River The Cheyenne River (; "Good River"), also written ''Chyone'', referring to the Cheyenne people who once lived there, is a tributary of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is approximately 295 miles (475 ...

, east of Rapid City, and later moved to the installation site. ''Dignity'' was erected in September 2016 at a site near

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...

, where it overlooks the

. Since July 1, 2017, South Dakota residents are now able to purchase auto license plates bearing the likeness of ''Dignity''. The plates were designed with the help of the statue's designer.

Design

The statue is situated in the Chamberlain Interstate Welcome Center located along Interstate 90's mile post 264 and is accessible by both directions of travel. It measures high, deep and wide. The star quilt held by the woman has more than 100 blue diamond shapes that move in the wind "like an Aspen leaf". Three Native American women from

, served as the models for the sculpture. Lamphere's plan is to put the name of every federally recognized tribe on a stainless steel band around the base of the statue. He said, "I wanted something that would really honor the indigenous people of the Great Plains and I kept that in mind all the time. I made the work reflect the name that it has of 'Dignity', and I think that's part of what makes it work so well."

Reception

When interviewed nearly a year after the dedication, Lamphere said "It's been well-received by the Native community, and by visitors from all over the country. My hope over time is it really gets people to think about the beauty of the native cultures." In a 2017 column published in the '' Sioux Falls Argus Leader'', Susan Claussen Bunger, instructor of Native American social systems, wrote:

As is evident through history, humans will ultimately disillusion and betray. As is such, I have a new role model who is solid and sturdy. She literally owns a spine of steel and reminds me of the injustice in the world, but also of strength, perseverance and survival. She signifies people who have prevailed through the centuries. She represents all who resist and strive forward. She portrays a rallying cry for those who wish to be heard and valued. She stands strong and proud, meeting the morning sun and bracing against the nighttime cold. She contemplates the world through a poise of conviction and fearlessness. Her name is "Dignity".

In popular culture

On April 27, 2020, the ''Dignity'' statue was used as a clue on the game show ''

Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...

'' The clue was "A 50-foot stainless steel South Dakota statue called ''Dignity'' honors the culture of the Dakota and this group whose name rhymes with Dakota." The answer was "the Lakota tribe." The contestant answered correctly.

References

External links