COMMON GROUND May 24 – November 30, 2012 City Hall Park (Bordered by Broadway, Chambers Street, Centre Street, and Park Row) Traditional public monuments and statues had a clear civic purpose, many having been commissioned to commemorate an important event, notable individual, or significant group. The artists featured in this show— Elmgreen & Dragset, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Roger Hiorns, Jenny Holzer, Matthew Day Jackson, Christian Jankowski, Justin Matherly, Paul McCarthy, Amalia Pica, and Thomas Schütte —have taken this tr... Read more

COMMON GROUND
May 24 – November 30, 2012 City Hall Park (Bordered by Broadway, Chambers Street, Centre Street, and Park Row)

Traditional public monuments and statues had a clear civic purpose, many having been commissioned to commemorate an important event, notable individual, or significant group. The artists featured in this show— Elmgreen & Dragset, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Roger Hiorns, Jenny Holzer, Matthew Day Jackson, Christian Jankowski, Justin Matherly, Paul McCarthy, Amalia Pica, and Thomas Schütte —have taken this tradition of civic sculpture and expanded upon it. Developing a new civic dialogue, the show explores the reappropriation of iconography from classical sculpture; engagement with themes of the individual and society; incorporation of language, symbolism, and metaphor; and the use of non‐traditional materials and performance, among other themes.
Like all of New York City’s parks, City Hall Park is a beloved public space. It’s long history of civic use and proximity to the institutions of city government makes it unique in the City. Common Ground responds to the many layers of this rich historical context and reveals how a work of art that articulates an artist’s personal vision might also be thought of as having a civic function, value, or engagement.

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which is funded through Community Development Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Special thanks to Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe.