Alfredo Jaar Is Still Trying to Change the World
Four decades after his Times Square artwork challenged the definition of America, the Chilean architect calls himself “a pessimist with my intellect and an optimist with my will.”
Alfredo Jaar, a Chilean artist, installed his landmark billboard piece "A Logo for America" in New York's Times Square in 1987, during a time when Reaganism and Henry Kissinger's political machinations were at their peak. The 42-second LED animation showcased a map of the United States with the message "This Is Not America" superimposed on it, followed by an image of the US flag with the text "This Is Not America’s Flag."
The "R" in "America" then transformed into a dancing map of South, Central, and North America, emphasizing that America is a continent, not a country.
Nearly 40 years later, the basic fact that America is a continent, not a country, still needs to be explained to US citizens. Jaar's installation has traveled worldwide and made a brief return to Times Square in 2014, played on large video screens during Donald Trump's presidential campaign as a response to his racist statements about immigrants. Now, as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary and Trump weaponizes the name "America" in his conflicts with other countries, Jaar's installation takes on new meaning.
For the exhibition "A Logo for America, 1987" at Galerie Lelong in Manhattan, Jaar has curated related works by other artists, including Joaquín Torres-García's "Inverted America" (1943), which inspired Jaar's piece. In the center of the gallery is a large video screen that takes visitors back to Times Square in 1987, offering a nostalgic glimpse of the past. Jaar spoke about the enduring relevance of his installation and the ongoing discourse around the distinction between America and the United States.
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