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 and hang them on the museum's lobby wall. On view for the duration of 2018, the installation grew into a monolithic barometer of the year 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 get too competitive — I’ve gained more weight than I can burn — I care too much about what people think of me — our nation is more socially fragmented than before — my partner started following his ex on Instagram — I am retirement age with no retirement income — so few people vote — ecological disaster is imminent — I’m getting too complacent — it’s hard to forgive someone you love — my son is struggling with alcohol abuse — we’re building things we don’t understand — being misunderstood is scary — intolerance is on the rise. I’m hopeful because… he seems committed about his recovery — the world is full of good people, they just don’t make the news — what I focus on always grows — we can walk out and march — there are people who care — I believe in love when I never thought I would — 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 — I know I am not alone — there is beauty in both solitude and connection — I’m open to grace.
