There are some artists, architects, heroes and monuments many learn about in school, while others are hidden in plain sight even though they've made a lasting impact on society — until now.
From April 28 through August 27, the Contemporary Arts Center will be hosting conceptual artist Luis Camnitzer's exhibit, Monuments to Unknown Heroes, to shine a light on the nameless trailblazers who've made a lasting impact on art, design and culture.
The exhibit will showcase various perspectives society often upholds when it comes to beloved and notable monuments while questioning "the socio-political and economic underpinnings that typically accompany the production of public monuments," per an exhibit description on CAC’s website, which the artist believes truly came to light during the pandemic. The topic of reconsidering public monuments and who America upholds as a “hero” was most recently seen during the Black Lives Matter movement, where tensions over public monuments, especially those that promoted oppression and racism, heightened nationwide.
"The project came about in the COVID environment," Camnitzer told CityBeat. "There was a harsh accentuation of inequities in our society, with the paradox that white-collar professionals were able to escape the dangers of the outer world by staying locked within four walls, while first responders and people without white-collar jobs had little choice but to breathe fresh air."
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