Today is the 1-week anniversary of the refurbished Alamo's return to Astor Place.
The fencing has remained up around the cube, prompting some questions, like, What's up with that barricade?
Sandwich board signage arrived yesterday with an explanation...
The sign notes that "there remains a final phase of onsite restoration needed." Then! "Once complete, the barricades will be removed."
Has anyone considered that continuing to call this sculpture the Alamo might actually be offensive to Americans of Mexican descent? I'm beginning to think that as a gesture of goodwill to both Mexicans and our burgeoning Muslim migrant population, the black cube ought to be renamed. Little Kaaba could be nice. Or maybe just Black Cube of Saturn.
ReplyDelete10:03, OKAY political correctness gone off the wall. In your right mind what makes you think that naming a piece of sculpture after the most sacred place in the Muslim faith wouldn't be offensive to American Muslins? The sculptor, Rosenthal, named his piece Alamo. Perhaps you should address yourself to him, if he is still alive, or to his family, to find out why it was so named. It may have nothing to do with the historical moment you are referencing.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that THE ALAMO is back. Now lets fix the rest of the Plaza. Dump that Ice Cream Outhouse. Aesthetically it's a nightmare. It's closed. It does little or no business and it's a safety hazard. And then there is the tree issue. MORE TREES! MORE TREES, PLEASE!!!!!!
ReplyDelete"Black Cube of Saturn"? How quickly would that become "Black Cube of Satan." Criss-crossing the name with a sacred place in Mecca? Complete insanity? It's been the Alamo for how long? Keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to hear it was lovingly restored, hopefully by artisans who used a bespoke, handcrafted, small batch approach.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone considered that calling it The Cube is offensive to blockheads? Think about it people: all those unfortunates who have square heads have a hard enough time already without having to deal with a sculpture that reminds them about their flat square heads every single day. Sad.
ReplyDeleteAs a muslin wearing American Muslim of Mexican descent with a degree in geometry I find the The Cube offensive to the extent that it excludes the rest of the Platonic solids.
ReplyDeleteI think someone should make a map of the other Tony Rosenthal sculptures in Lower Manhattan just for those who are antsy about the Alamo's not being quite available yet.
ReplyDeleteSo…Why is it called the Alamo?
ReplyDeleteI always thought, or hoped, that it is actually designed to decapitate drunk obnoxious woohoos who spin it too fast.
Has it ever happened?
- East Villager
I always thought it was called "the Imagine." Really. Waiting for someone to rechristen it.
ReplyDeleteOkay Anon 11:14 AM: Wiki (not leaks) says it was named by Rosenthal's wife because it reminded her of the Alamo Mission (yes of remember the Alamo!). Still absurd idea for the Anon 10:03 to think that Rosenthal named because of his--his what?? support of a massacre? Walk away and forget this stupidity. We have more important things to consider as an American nightmare is about to begin. We need to keep crooked de Blasio from changing the rules governing co-ops created from formerly city owned buildings.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the basement?
ReplyDelete