Here I used the 35/2 to shoot the Civil War Memorial on the Commons in South Hadley, MA. The Commons is an island in Route 116 next to Mt. Holyoke College.

While this is a pretty conventional way of "documenting" a monument, I would greatly prefer to use my 50/1.4 here. While the 35/2 gives visual separation to the background it is not blurred...even at f/2.2 as here...unless you get really close. The 50/1.4 would provide both visual separation and blurring.

I personally often like to use a short tele like the 85mm on statues, but it is an acquired taste and violates all the rules.