15/1/2004
Jochen Gerz
Millennium Project, Coventry
One of the leading conceptual and public art artists, Paris-based Jochen Gerz has been working in Coventry for nearly five years on The Future Monument and The Public Bench. The two works reflect Coventry's experience as a place scarred by war and also as a cosmopolitan city prominent in the international reconciliation movement.
FRIDAY JANUARY 16 2004: UNVEILING MAJOR ARTWORKS IN COVENTRY
1PM: 2000 PEOPLE WILL GATHER ON THE MILLENNIUM PLACE FOR A HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH
*Over 5000 individual participations
*70 communities involved
*2000 plaques secured on a 45m long bench
One of the leading conceptual and public art artists, Paris-based Jochen
Gerz has been working in Coventry for nearly five years on The Future
Monument and The Public Bench. The two works reflect Coventry's
experience as a place scarred by war and also as a cosmopolitan city
prominent in the international reconciliation movement. Both pieces are
to be handed over to the public on Friday 16th January 2004 at the heart
of Coventry's regenerated city centre Millennium Project.
The Future Monument is a five metres high lit glass obelisk surrounded
by glass plaques. It is a monument that highlights the often hidden
social and individual changes turning enemies into friends. The same
question reached many thousand inhabitants: Who were the enemies of the
past? Almost 3000 Coventrians responded. More than 80 nations were
quoted. As a result, the eight glass plaques in front of the Future
Monument will read:
TO OUR GERMAN FRIENDS
TO OUR BRITISH FRIENDS
TO OUR JAPANESE FRIENDS
TO OUR FRENCH FRIENDS
TO OUR SPANISH FRIENDS
TO OUR RUSSIAN FRIENDS
TO OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS
TO OUR TURKISH FRIENDS
They were the most often named. Although Gerz found himself repeatedly
in the midst of contradicting opinions and ideologies in his encounters
with Coventry's countless communities and minorities, his works were
always welcomed as a very timely contribution to the contemporary
debate. As he states: "The Future Monument deals with a taboo. What you
don't address addresses you."
The Public Bench is a feature in the city's newly created Millennium
Place where local people or visitors to the city can publicly announce a
personal relationship by having a free plaque produced which links their
name with another on the 45 metre long bench. 2000 plaques have been
installed on the bench. They commemorate friendships, loves, spiritual
or fictional heroes, long lost moments and memories, muses, promises and
inspirations. The Public Bench is a work in progress. Even though the
large wall is nearly filled with a "milky way" of bright red plaques,
more will be added after the inauguration.
Public Art Consultant Vivien Lovell enlisted Jochen Gerz to work with
Master planner Sir Richard MacCormac because of his unique approach to
the viewer and his way of engaging people in the creative process. Gerz
is famous for his anti-monuments, in particular, two works in Germany,
the Monument against Fascism in Hamburg, and the invisible Monument
against Racism in Saarbrucken; and the Words of Paris ,"exhibiting"
homeless people in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He has just
been commissioned to create new public art works in Dublin's
disadvantaged Ballymun area and the BBC is in the process of
commissioning a public work for White City in London.
For any further information contact project manager Olivia Bransbourg 07985 424303.
The Phoenix Initiative is a Millennium Commission Lottery Project
jointly funded by the City Council, Advantage West Midlands, the
European Development Fund and The Henry Moore Arts Foundation.
Millennium Project
Coventry