Claire Seka, FCLC 2025

MAJOR: Visual Arts and Psychology

BIO: Claire Seka is a visual arts and psychology double major from the Washington D.C. area and is working to become a graphic designer and illustrator.

PROJECT TITLE: What Makes a Monument: A sketchbook Study

MENTOR: Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock, Department of Visual Arts

ABSTRACT: Driving across America, you will see gorgeous, colorful natural scenery that makes you stop and appreciate its beauty, only shortly thereafter to see the World's Largest Ball of Paint. This contrast makes one consider what is an American monument. One imagines grand, expensive marble statues like the Lincoln Memorial or sprawling National Parks; however, what of the Spider-Car in Remlap, Alabama—a  Volkswagen Beetle modified to look like, you guessed it, a spider? 

Most dismiss these sites as soulless capitalistic tourist traps, but that assessment is unfair and surface-level. When visiting, you will see a charming sincerity to the eccentricity. These strange roadside attractions are just as important as the large marble statues of presidents, as they represent American history and people in their own way. They are the relics of bygone eras, show small triumphs, and display the strength of local communities. 

The purpose of this project was to visually record local roadside attractions and provide visual depictions of American roadside culture. These visual recordings were recorded in a sketchbook which I scanned and self-published. The sketchbook features a series of drawings, paintings, and notes depicting my experience driving through America and visiting roadside attractions. I celebrate the spontaneity, creativity, and stories of American roadside culture as I ask the fundamental question of what makes a monument?