Unseen/Unforgotten was commissioned by ArtsArlington as part of Arlington's commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. Two groupings of pedestals made of cast concrete (5 total) are located in front of Robbins Memorial Library and in a grove of trees behind the library parking lot.

Known as Menotomy at the time of the American Revolution, Arlington was a community of self-sufficient farmers. These “country people” were sympathetic to the rebel cause and opposed the British King and Parliament’s increasingly autocratic policies. For years, tensions had been building throughout the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and on April 19, 1775, violence would break out; the War for Independence to preserve local representative government was launched with the battles at Lexington, Concord and Menotomy.

Unseen/Unforgotten resembles the neoclassical pedestals familiar from commemorative sculpture honoring American heroes and leaders. But these pedestals are inscribed with the common occupations of ordinary people: farmer, carpenter, midwife, miller, and teacher. They invite you to imagine the residents of the country village of Menotomy. History has not recorded what they looked like, but we can still remember them. Men, women, and children, people of English, African, and Indigenous heritage – all were swept up in the bloody conflict. Christopher Frost, the artist, invites you to reflect on their lives, confronted by an increasingly autocratic king and parliament. Although some had no choice, many had to decide – without knowing the outcome – would they join the fight against tyranny or would they stand by?

Chris Frost is a sculptor living and working in Somerville, MA. His work has been exhibited and collected in museums and art institutions throughout the New England area. His indoor and outdoor sculpture is part of many private and corporate collections and holds a masters degree from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

This temporary public art exhibition will be available for viewing until September 2026. This project was made possible by funding from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Installation was supported by a generous contribution from Intelligent Labor & Moving Company of Arlington. This project was supported by Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture Public Art Curator, Cecily Miller and the Robbins Library.

ArtsArlington invites the public to listen to the sculptor talk about this project.

More information at ArtsArlington.