In America: Remember is a public art installation created by artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg commemorating all Americans who have died due to COVID-19. 650,000+ white flags were installed on 20 acres of the National Mall for two weeks, creating a national opportunity to reflect upon the enormous toll of the pandemic. The installation is open to the public from September 17th through October 3rd, 2021.
Ruppert Landscape was proud to support this project, at no cost, by hand-installing the commemorative flags. To help bring the artist’s vision to life, we used a combination of aerial mapping and design software to create a grid that encompasses the National Mall. We created a grid tool made out of PVC pipe to ensure symmetry and precision during installation. There are 143 sections (most of which are 60’ x 60’), divided by 8’ paths that span 22 acres. Within each section, our teams placed 5329 flags. In total, Ruppert donated over 1,200 labor hours to bring this project to fruition, with the help of over 100 team members from 10 local branches working throughout the three-day install.
The artist, Suzanne, said, “When people say, ‘We couldn’t have done it without you,’ they are usually speaking figuratively. Without Ruppert Landscape, I literally could not have created In America: Remember. From the start, Craig and his team have been all in. Chuck Whealton created two unique systems for planting this massive array, Mike Felts has proven the master organizer, and Laurie Shoemaker has worked tirelessly to create a layout that meets the needs of the National Park Service, while also allowing for the ever-expanding number of flags. Ruppert Landscape models corporate goodness, setting the bar high for other companies.”
