A subtle work of art The original Queen Anne’s Square was just an open splotch of greenery in the midst of busy Newport. It was dedicated in 1976 and Queen Elizabeth II actually came and spoke or at least appeared at the dedication. The little square pretty much stayed the same until some creative people in Newport decided that the little area could be something more. So they started thinking and even commissioned Maya Lin, the famous designer of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. to help with the project. There was actually quite a bit of acrimony about the project and certain people in Newport wanted the square to remain open land. However the project went ahead and was completed in 2013. The changes in the square are rather subtle unless you are intimately familiar with the area. Some of the actual foundations of old houses and ancient rocks were moved into the square along with a little fountain and some quotations from very old books and diaries. On the north side of the square stands the ancient Trinity Church and there are benches to sit on throughout the square. A whole lot of people cut through the square to get where they are going but I don’t think that many people really use or notice what’s in it. The square is definitely a work of art, but a very subtle and inconspicuous one.
