The Commons
2011
Paul Ramírez Jonas
American, born 1965
Contemporary Art
In this monumental work, Paul Ramírez Jonas adopts the language of imperial power traditionally expressed through equestrian statues but omits a human figure, thus shifting the focus from the commemoration of individual leaders to the power of the collective. The artist designed the sculpture out of cork to be adorned by visitors and accumulate messages and keepsakes over time.
The European tradition of equestrian statuary dates to the ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. This legacy of cementing power continues today in the selection of historical monuments decided upon by an elite few rather than by the communities who live with these images everyday. In light of ongoing debates around monuments, amplified most recently by the Black Lives Matter movement, Ramírez Jonas’s sculpture usurps this history to present a communal alternative function for this hallowed motif.
The European tradition of equestrian statuary dates to the ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. This legacy of cementing power continues today in the selection of historical monuments decided upon by an elite few rather than by the communities who live with these images everyday. In light of ongoing debates around monuments, amplified most recently by the Black Lives Matter movement, Ramírez Jonas’s sculpture usurps this history to present a communal alternative function for this hallowed motif.
- Maker/Artist
- Ramirez Jonas, Paul
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Formatted Medium
- Cork, pushpins, paper, wood, metal armature
- Dimensions
- 153 × 124 × 64 in. (388.6 × 315 × 162.6 cm) horse head: 48 × 50 × 21 in. (121.9 × 127 × 53.3 cm) body of horse: 85 × 94 × 40 in. (215.9 × 238.8 × 101.6 cm) main base: 39 × 100 × 39 in. (99.1 × 254 × 99.1 cm) base cornice: 4 × 100 × 39 in. (10.2 × 254 × 99.1 cm) storage (2022 storage volume for horse with head on pallet): 102 × 104 × 40 in. (25
- Departments
- Contemporary Art
- Accession Number
- 2020.21
- Credit Line
- Gift of The John & Melissa Ceriale Family Foundation and Leo Koenig
- Rights Statement
- © artist or artist's estate
- Museum Location
- This item is not on view
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