Many beach dwellers will walk, bike and rollerblade on the Venice Beach board walk this summer, stumbling upon the iconic Mark di Suvero sculpture “Declaration." 

Here is the scoop so you can impress your out of town friends and relations. 

Mark di Suvero Declaration, 1999-2001 steel 726 in. (1844 cm) high 

Di Suvero’s 60+ foot sculpture of steel I-beams, was erected atop a hillock at the end of Windward Avenue in Venice in 2001.  

"I would like to think that … it expands your sense of possibility of spirit."  Mark di Suvero via  Drohojowska-Philp LATimesarticle, "Di Suvero and steely resolution” 26 February 2008. 

A few months later it was used as a gathering place for “Where are the voices” – readings by writers responding to the Sept. 11 tragedy.

 "Honored and rejoicing. We are in the company of citizens.“  From poem by Peter J. Harris, Declaration.

January 2008, Paul Vangelisti, chairman of Otis College of Art and Design’s graduate writing program, and Beyond Baroque Director Fred Dewey co-published a book, also titled "Declaration,” collecting the poetry and prose from that evening and illustrating it with photographs of Di Suvero’s sculpture.

See online profile for more information on Mark di Survero and Declaration. 

Fun fact! Sylvester Stalone ran past “Declaration” during  the 2004 Athens Olympic torch run ceremony.