Gehry's design for the Eisenhower Memorial upset the family

Washington - An unconventional memorial to former American president Dwight D. Eisenhower, designed by architect Frank Gehry, has upset the Eisenhower family. They argue that the project is too avant-garde and disrespectful. However, the commission preparing the construction of the memorial in Washington still hopes that the authorities will approve its realization later this year.
Gehry proposed to arrange the memorial as a reminiscence of Eisenhower's childhood in Kansas. At its center, there should be a statue of the former president as a young boy, gazing in wonder at the massive "tapestries" made of steel mesh, which depict key moments from his later life. These include, for example, the D-Day landing in Normandy or the founding of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The modern concept, which departs from the classic form of presidential memorials that most often consist of a life-size statue, has so far received warm responses among experts. However, the descendants of Eisenhower are not as enthusiastic.
This week, one of Eisenhower's granddaughters, Anne Eisenhower, submitted an official complaint to the preparatory committee. "One simply has to acknowledge that (Gehry) misunderstood his task. He was supposed to honor Eisenhower, and the current design does not do that," she told the AP agency. Another granddaughter, Susan Eisenhower, noted that her grandfather was a traditionalist and was not particularly enthusiastic about modern art. Therefore, she believes it is wrong to promote an avant-garde approach.
The commission behind the memorial's preparation only briefly stated that it values the comments from Eisenhower's descendants. However, it intends to push for the construction despite the negative feedback. The final approval for the construction is expected in March, and construction could begin later this year.