Documented artwork / water sculpture and gateway

Passage

Larry Kirkland

Credit as documented: Larry Kirkland

Passage creates a water-marked threshold at Atlanta's National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Two leaning structures of glass and stainless steel form a gateway, joining the movement of water to language about the struggle for rights. Kirkland identifies engraved texts by Nelson Mandela and Margaret Mead, while flowing water recalls a further quotation associated with Martin Luther King. The artist describes an unusually rapid process: conception, commissioning, construction and installation took less than eight months.

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Verified artwork image for Passage
Verified artwork imageImage: civilandhumanrights.org ↗© 2026 National Center for Civil and Human Rights. All rights reserved. (as credited at source)

At a glance

Year / version
Not documented
Materials
glass, stainless steel, water
Documented setting
unknown
Dimensions
36 ft × 24 ft × 24 ft.
Dimensions apply to
Published overall figures; axes unlabelled.
Availability
Unconfirmed

Places & versions

Installation history

Historical presentations. A past installation does not establish the current location or suitability for a new site.

  1. Date not documented

    National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta, Georgia

    Site
    National Center for Civil and Human Rights
    City
    Atlanta
    State / region
    GA
    Country
    United States (inferred; not independently confirmed)

    Installation details checked 2026-10-17.

    Installation source

Materials and construction

The published design team comprises Joel Straus Consulting, John Grant and Junoworks, and Fluidity Design. Glass carries the engraving while water passes over its surface.

Presentation and site context

The paired forms stand at the museum approach, using a passage between sculptural elements to connect the visitor's arrival with the institution's subject.

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Sources