Tuesday, September 17, 2013

GRAMSCI MONUMENT - a Tree House for Social Change

Thomas Hirschhorn, a Swiss artist, brought a monument dedicated to the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci to the Forest Hill community in the Bronx. This is no ordinary monument, it was built with help from the local Bronx community with ply wood, box tape, and other non precious items. The materials transcend the established norms of what a monument should be made from and  the form itself also was unusual. This was not a monolith or portraiture of a man, it was a simple tree house in the middle of the projects open to all.

Each “room” within the tree house was dedicated to some sort of learning or community - based activity. There was a library filled with historical /political literature about Gramsci, and a place where children could make art. For the older crowed there was a porch filled with white plastic chairs and a tapped up microphone where philosophers and poets had a place to showcase their thoughts. There are possible problems within this work, questions whether or not this is fine art or just another form for political activism. Or whether or not this exploits those who live in the neighborhood by exposing different communities to the poor projects.  But after going there several times, I just wanted to be part of it;  part of the  hope that this tree house would bring social change.

1 comment:

  1. Great review! I like how you anticipated criticism of the monument (from cynics such as myself) within your review. You seemed to brush off such criticism without really addressing it, though: maybe you could have spent a sentence or two arguing against claims of exploitation of the residents by Hirschhorn and/or the art world.