Which of the following best describes the goal of McMillian's depiction of the Supreme Court building (collapsed columns, missing pediment, blue marble)?

• A. To celebrate public art in civic spaces.
• B. To showcase architectural symbolism of resilience.
• C. To protest the justices' perceived retreat from civil rights commitments.
• D. To reflect admiration for the building's design.

Answer: (C)

McMillian uses a damaged neoclassical temple motif to deliver a political critique of the Supreme Court, arguing that the institution has retreated from protecting civil rights. The collapsed columns show that the supports of constitutional protections are weakened, while the missing pediment suggests the loss of the guiding ideals or crown of authority that a court is supposed to uphold. The blue marble reads as a once-formal, authoritative façade now tainted, signaling that the appearance of legitimacy hides a retreat from civil rights commitments. Taken together, the imagery functions as protest, not celebration, not a statement of resilience, and not admiration for the design.