There's a new monolith in town

I went to my hair salon this morning, Bijan in Mandela Square, and as I was sitting in traffic on 5th Avenue, I had (plenty of) time to notice a new piece of public art on the corner in front of the Da Vinci. The Candle of Hope monolith and its backdrop glass mural.

My first thought was that it reminded me of a Cleopatra's Needle, the popular name for each of three ancient Egyptian obelisks re-erected in London, Paris, and New York City during the nineteenth century. The obelisks in London and New York are a pair, the one in Paris, also part of a pair came from a different site in Luxor where its twin remains. Although all three Needles are genuine Ancient Egyptian obelisks, their shared nickname is a misnomer, as they have no connection with Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, and were already over a thousand years old in her lifetime. Fun fact.

Met Trustees Dining Room overlooking the Gates exhibit & NY Needle

The New York Needle is on an elevated knoll in Central Park behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art and you get a great view of it from the Museum's Trustees Dining Room. The Met has an extensive Egyptian Collection including the majestic Temple of Dendur so it is only fitting that the Needle be so closely situated. Oddly enough though, you cannot see the Needle from the glass enclosure which houses the Temple. Another fun fact.

Instead of a straight pyramid shape on top, the Candle of Hope has a pyramid-shaped flame. And like the ancient language of hieroglyphics on Cleopatra's Needle, the Candle of Hope has its own modern language of hieroglyphics. While the Needle pays homage to a Pharaoh, the 18th Dynasty Thutmose III, similarly the Candle is a monument to a 20th century President, Nelson Mandela. Pictures of Mandela being released from prison, signing the constitution, doing his Madiba jive, and images of SA's historic rugby World Cup win tell the story of Mandela's Presidency just like the hieroglyphics proclaim the majesty of Thut's reign. 

Seeing the Candle of Hope actually made me feel better about being stuck in traffic.