Charleston Gaillard Center Unveils Three Local Honorees For MONUMENTS Outdoor Installation

The Charleston Gaillard Center has announced three local honorees for MONUMENTS, an outdoor, projection-based public art installation by internationally acclaimed artist Craig Walsh. The installation will be on view nightly from February 27 through March 31, 2026, on George Street in front of the Gaillard and will be free and open to the public.

Selected from community nominations and chosen by a jury of local leaders, the 2026 Monuments honorees are Diane Hamilton, Leroy Moore, and Jeffrey Yungman. Each honoree will be featured through large-scale projected portraits mapped onto trees, a signature element of Walsh’s globally recognized project that elevates living community members rather than historical figures.

“These honorees reflect the spirit of Monuments—individuals whose impact is deeply felt in everyday ways,” said Lissa Frenkel, President and CEO of the Charleston Gaillard Center. “By elevating unsung heroes through this work, we are invited to reconsider who we honor and why, and to recognize the people shaping Charleston through service, advocacy, and care.”

Monuments uses temporary, site-specific projections to prompt reflection on visibility, legacy, and collective memory. The installation transforms the streetscape into a shared space for recognition and underscores the Gaillard’s commitment to accessible, community-centered art experiences.

Honorees

Diane Hamilton
A retired educator with Charleston County School District, Hamilton is a historian and community advocate whose work has preserved the history of the Maryville neighborhood. She has held leadership roles across civic organizations, partnered on the installation of a historical marker for the Fredrick Deming, Jr. Industrial School, and authored Maryville: The Audacity of a People.

Leroy Moore
A Charleston native, Moore is a case manager with Neighbors Together who has dedicated nearly three decades to supporting youth and families through human services, crisis intervention, and community leadership. He is also a minister and founder of a local business focused on workforce opportunities.

Jeffrey Yungman
An assistant public defender, Yungman’s career has centered on legal advocacy for vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness. He previously founded the Crisis Ministries Homeless Justice Project and helped establish the state’s first Housing Court.

Local Jury

A distinguished local jury reviewed nominations and selected the honorees featured in Monuments:

• Rabbi Stephanie Alexander, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE), Senior Rabbi

• Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell, Closing the Gap in Health Care, Founder

• LaVanda Brown, YWCA Greater Charleston, Executive Director

• Lee Deas, Obviouslee, Founder

• Jayme Host, College of Charleston School of the Arts, Dean

• Asiah Mae, Second Poet Laureate of Charleston, SC

• John Powell, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, President and CEO

• Jonatan Guerrero Ramirez, We Are Family, Program Director

• Marka Danielle Rodgers, Dancer and Accessible Yoga Instructor

• Timothy Rogers, Charleston Stage, Managing Director

• Nicole Taney, Charleston Gaillard Center, Vice President of Artistic Programming

The project is funded in part by Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation.