Sam Durant
Sam Durant takes this rooted dialogue into the realm of monuments. Known for proposals that reimagine memorial forms—from transposed U.S. monuments to interpretations of Yugoslavia’s role in the Non-Aligned Movement—he now turns to the Serbian professors who became unlikely symbols during the protests. His series of models and drawings Proposal for Monument to Professors Who do Nothing but Participate in Blockades envisions a “potato monument,” at once humorous and grounded yet politically charged. The maquettes, recalling architectural models, show potatoes raised on plinths, pierced with rods, mirrored, or piled into mounds climbed by miniature figures. These inventive forms question what and who we choose to commemorate. By elevating a humble tuber, Durant unsettles the solemnity of remembrance, opening space for humility, plurality, and resilience to stand against the weight of history.
Sam Durant’s interdisciplinary work engages a variety of social, political, and cultural issues. His methodology is research based but with an emphasis on social engagement, often working with communities and groups in collaborative and performative formations. Growing up near Boston, MA in the 1970’s he experienced anti-war and civil rights demonstrations and the attempted desegregation of the Boston school system. Exposure to an educational culture emphasizing democratic ideals, racial equality and social justice created the foundation for Durant’s artistic perspective. Often taking up forgotten histories, his works make connections with present and ongoing social and cultural issues. This is exemplified through his exploration of monuments, memorials, and the significant public art projects he has undertaken. From 2005 to 2010 he was a member of the collective Transforma Projects, a grassroots cultural re-building initiative in New Orleans. In 2012/13 Durant was an artist in residence at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. He has had solo museum exhibitions at the Kunstverein Düsseldorf; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent; MACRO, Rome; and Cultuurcentrum Strombeek, Brussels. Durant’s work has been included in numerous international exhibitions including Documenta 13, the Yokohama Triennial, the Venice, Sydney, Busan, Liverpool, Panama, and Whitney Biennials. His work can be found in many public collections including Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; FNAC, Paris, France; UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA; Project Row Houses, Houston, TX; and Tate Modern, London, England. His work is represented by Blum and Poe, Los Angeles, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, Sadie Coles HQ, London and Praz Delavellade, Paris. Durant is based in Berlin and is a Professor at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart.
