A Monument for the Anxious and Hopeful

New York, New York

A Monument for the Anxious and Hopeful is a living catalogue of the ways in which we relate to the uncertainty of tomorrow. As part of the Rubin Museum of Art's Futures exhibit, visitors were invited to anonymously share their anxieties and hopes on vellum cards which hung on the lobby wall. On view for the duration of 2018, the installation grew into a monolithic barometer of the collective mood where visitors could explore thousands of individual meditations that ranged from personal, local, and specific statements to political, theoretical, and spiritual reflections.

Over 55,000 responses were received and revealed the apprehensions, expectations, and stories that define our field of vision and how they correlate with the collective mood: I’m anxious because… I care too much about what people think of me — I don't want an addiction to control me — I worry we are losing our humanity — my partner started following his ex on Instagram — I am retirement age with no retirement income — so few people vote — ecological disaster is imminent — being misunderstood is scary — it’s hard to forgive someone you love — I get too competitive — I’ve gained more weight than I can burn — intolerance is on the rise — we’re building things we don’t understand. I’m hopeful because… I believe in love when I never thought I would — the world is full of good people, they just don’t make the news — what I focus on always grows — he seems committed about his recovery — we can walk out and march — my willingness to grow and change — art heals people — my mother is becoming more accepting of others — music saves my life a little every day — young people are speaking up — there is beauty in both solitude and connection — I’m open to grace.