Future Monument and People's Bench by Jochen Gerz
At 1pm on Friday 16 January 2004, 2000 people gathered on the Millennium Place, Coventry for an historic photograph
Over 5000 individual participations
70 communities involved
2000 plaques secured on a 45 m 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 ñmilky wayî 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,îexhibitingî 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 [email protected] or 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.
