In this artwork, how is the History discussed?
Installed in 1967 as part of "Sculpture and the Environment", organized by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the cube was one of 25 temporary art installations that were intended to remain for a six-month period; however, local residents successfully petitioned the city to keep Alamo. It has since become a popular meeting place in the East Village. It stands in an intersection, across the street from two entrances to the Astor Place subway station, as well as the Cooper Union Foundation Building.The cube rotates around a hidden pole in its center. The cube's sculptor Tony Rosenthal never intended for Alamo to spin, saying in 2005: "I actually thought we would put it on this post and we’d turn it to the position we wanted it and then stick it like that." However, the cube was never locked in place. One observer described spinning the cube as "part of the New York experience".On March 10, 2005, the Parks Department removed the Cube for maintenance. The original artist and crew replaced a missing bolt, and made a few other minor repairs.  A makeshift replica made of polyvinyl chloride tubes, named the Jello Cube in honor of Peter Cooper, was placed in its stead.  In November 2005, the Cube returned with a fresh coat of black paint, still able to spin. In October 2015, the sculpture was covered in a protective wooden box because of the redevelopment of Astor Place, but was eventually removed off-site again for "restoration and repainting" and to keep it "out of harm's way," according to a representative of the New York City Parks Department. On November 1, 2016, the sculpture returned to Astor Place after a $180,000 reconstruction and rust removal. In November 2017, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation celebrated the sculpture's 50th year anniversary of its installation.By May 2022, the New York City Department of Transportation, which was responsible for the sculpture's maintenance, determined that problems with spinning the structure could cause further damage. According to city engineers, the cube was in danger of tipping over if it continued to spin. The DOT consequently locked it in place with metal braces, at least until additional work on the pivot may eventually prove sufficient to permit it to spin freely again. In May 2023, the DOT announced the cube had been removed and would be refurbished offsite at a Connecticut foundry. The sculpture has been returned to Astor Place as of August 2023.
Cooper Union New York City Parks Department Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation New York City cube Cooper Union Foundation Building Peter Cooper sculpture polyvinyl chloride Cube East Village Astor Place subway station Tony Rosenthal Parks Department New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Sculpture New York City Department of Transportation anniversary Astor Place