AMSTERDAM, DAM SQUARE, 8 SEPTEMBER 1997, 1.15 PM. An ordinary scene: mostly tourists occupy the square. Business as usual. Except…… there are no people sitting on the stair of the National Monument, since it is temporarily removed for restoration. A huge scaffolding takes its place. Everything seems normal until 112 of the people join hands to create a circle. Then another 25 men climb on their shoulders. They form the foundations of a human tower. After several ‘storeys’ , finally, at the apex, a little girl topping it with her hand up in the air. The alarmingly swaying tower reaches a final height of 11 meters and consists of 160 people. These ‘castle builders’ from Spain, the ‘Castellers’, were honouring a tradition that dates back to 16th century Tarragona.
The intention was to give Amsterdam a ‘waling monument’ as a replacement for the National Monument; the most controversial monument to the Amsterdam. It particular became a centre of contention during to sixties when it was invaded by hordes of ‘Dam sleepers’; hippies regarded by the citizenry as ‘unwashed, disease—spreading’ vagrants. Nowadays it has acquired something of a sacred status. It plays a central role in Remembrance Day’s ceremonies. The architect J.J.P.Oud and sculptor J.Raedecker, who designed it as a remembrance of the Second World War, wanted it to be accessible to the public, a part of everyday urban life. They stressed it should not only deal with death, but primarily with life. Framis intended the Walking Monument in the spirit of Oud and Raedecker: as a living, breathing—and breathtaking—monument, a metaphor for life, a place of memory. The material of the monument is of the same substance as the viewers, who can directly communicate with the monument.
AMSTERDAM, DAM SQUARE,2 MAY 2003. Business as usual. Tourists on their way to Madame Tussaud or just hanging out and feeding the pigeons. The National Monument is painstakingly deformed, but back on its spot. The steps at the base are used again as meeting point and resting spot. Nothing special will happen on 1.15p.m. The ‘Castellers’ are in Spain and Alicia Framis is working on other projects. But does the Walking Monument still exist?
Yes, it dose, on two separate levers. It exist in the heads of all those people who happen to be there. Few tourist will ever have talked about the National Monument coming home after their trip to Amsterdam, but some will have mentioned the Walking Monument. Probably, not as a monument and not as a work of art, but as an event to enjoy with enough impact to remember. Furthermore it does exist in the discussion on the position ephemeral, temporary art project can take outside the traditional art context.