Guest Column

The controversy over the selection of the sculpture for the Martin Luther King memorial is discouraging.

This is not only because many of the questions being asked and the criticisms raised were responded to precisely and thoughtfully in the artist’s statement and news conference, then totally ignored, but also because it does such a disservice to the unusually large multicultural panel that struggled diligently with these same issues before arriving at a unanimous decision.

As Greg Rivara stated in The Northern Star, art “should promote discussion, not knee-jerk reaction.”

How can the concept of abstract symbolism dumbfound a college student in 1991? It has been around since humans first began making images. One would have to assume that everyone reading this paper knows what Martin Luther King looked like—at least the artist assumed so.

What he considered more important were those ideals and principles for which King stood, the very nature of which can only be expressed by abstraction, symbolized in poetry, music, color or form. To say, as one editorial suggests, that King would have preferred a picture of himself, is diminishing, if not insulting.

Perhaps the basic problem for many is the tendency to equate mere recognition with understanding. The intention of art is not to tell us what we already know, but to make tangible that which is intangible, i.e. feelings, ideals, values.

If art were mere recognition, we would have something akin to advertising—providing us with little true insight into the nature or history of human development. Scholarly research would be unnecessary and dialogue of no consequence.

What art does is make demands on our intellect by requiring an examination of the artist’s vision at a particular moment in history. It moves us asthetically, over a period of time, and ultimately provides insights into a generation’s values.

Over time we all acquire through our culture and religion, often without even being aware of it, a pool of symbols which serve as shortcuts to understanding and feeling. Consider the American flag. Neither stars nor stripes look anything like what they represent. (Besides, stars don’t have points, they’re round dots! Why not a picture of George Washington? Why not a referendum?)

Someone had to teach us the meaning of the elements of the flag. We’ve accepted it, learned to revere it. That’s right, all these years we have swelled with pride over an artistic abstract symbolic composition. Incidentally, the flag was created by a secret committee of three, including George, who probably could have opted for his own mug.

The history of public art is fraught with controversy. No one image can satisfy everyone. Remember the public outrage when the Vietnam Memorial for Washington D.C. was announced. Such a furor was raised that politicians from coast to coast jumped on the bandwagon to campaign for its defeat: “What the hell does a big black wall in a ditch symbolize?” one Congressman asked.

Today it is one of the most visited monuments in our nation, and commonly referred to as one of the most moving. It should also be pointed out that the internationally distinguished sculptor Richard Hunt was a juror both for that monument and for ours.

The arts have been part of great universities where reason and intelligent debate flourish. It is to be hoped that discussion over the Martin Luther King memorial will continue; however, it should focus on King’s ideas and ideals, rather than on reactionary non-issues. The arts are not easy—therein lies their timeless intrigue.

We can be sure of this: the Nardi sculpture will eventually be looked on as an important expression of this university, met with even greater debate (and is now worth millions and featured on the 1990-91 phone book), it will be included on freshman tours and featured on the covers of university publications.

At graduations, students and parents will pose in front of it for photographs. Years from now incoming students will be surprised to find it was so controversial—and that it was accomplished at the cost of only one soft drink per student.

Editor’s note: Bruce White is an art professor and writes about the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial sculpture.