Nation as Sovereign and Power: White Surveillance through Monumental Sculpture and Capital Punishment

In his essay “Panopticism” in Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Michel Foucault introduced the term "panopticon." He defined it as "enclosed space" in which every participant is "located" and constantly supervised. [1] This location of the subject is done through architecture, enforcing feelings of being watched and thus judged. I believe that the Federal Building at Kennedy Plaza and its accompanying monuments act as methods of surveillance, restricting who is allowed to belong at this site. 

One of two monuments flanking the Federal Building, Nation as Sovereign and Power exemplifies the use of sculpture and iconography to demonstrate institutional power. Employing Roman symbols of the justice system and capital punishment, the monument impresses on the traveller that they are being scrutinized for any wrong doing. When one considers the proximity of the monument to surveillance cameras and armed marshals, it becomes clear that this is not a monument for citizens, but rather a tool of control for their government.