Three Bells of Liberty
Horatio Law
Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center
A trio of sculptures speaks to the evolution—and repair—of freedom in America.
Commissioned in 1752, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia has represented American independence for centuries—and, indeed, many historians believe it was among the bells rung when the Declaration of Independence was read aloud on July 8, 1776, days after the end of the Revolutionary War. But the bell was largely forgotten until the 1830s when abolitionists claimed it as a symbol of freedom and coined its famous name. Around the same time, the bell formed its large crack—though it’s unknown exactly when or how.
Horatio Law’s Three Bells of Liberty, located along the Alder Passage at the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC), draws some of its meaning from the Liberty Bell. But it also applies Kintsugi, a Japanese art form that embraces flaws and imperfections, repairing broken ceramics by filling their cracks with gold dust, and making them stronger and more beautiful in the process. In combining the import of this American icon and Japanese idea, Law’s artwork speaks directly to the people coming and going from the CCFJC, inviting them to consider the meaning of liberty and repair.
Law points out that it’s complicated. “Current perception [is] that freedom and liberty are only for certain segments of the population—the white majority and the rich,” he says. “To some, the prominent crack developed on the bell actually symbolizes the flaws in our ideal of liberty for all, and true liberty requires constant and vigilant work, repairs, and rectification.”
Each of the three sculptures that comprise Three Bells of Liberty feature different details. The middle bell is covered by a “network” of golden cracks that appear solid. “These cracks, in essence, form the bell itself,” Law says. The inner edges of the other two bells are cut to resemble faces; on one bell these silhouettes face inward, the other outward.
In the process of developing this piece, Law connected with local stakeholders, including neighborhood representatives, leaders from community organizations, CCFJC staff. In addition, Law collaborated with youth attending Alder Academy to create the profiles used as the basis of the silhouettes in the artwork.
Based in Portland, OR, Law is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who creates his public projects by first engaging with community members to understand their unique needs and identities. Much of his work is rooted in his own Asian American identity and his experiences as an immigrant. Born in Hong Kong, Law moved to the United States at age 16. He has received numerous public art commissions from the City of Tacoma, the Housing Authority of Portland, Seattle Public Utilities, Oregon State Hospital, Sisters of the Road, Tri-Met’s Portland-Milwaukee Light-Rail Line, Portland Parks & Recreation, and the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, among others.
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Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center
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