Revisiting Barnett Newman’s Broken Obelisks: A Case study in multi-site monumentality

Abstract

This article explores the modern art of monument making and breaking through an examination of Barnett Newman’s Broken Obelisk (1963/9). Fabricated in an edition of three, the large-scale sculpture can be found in multiple cities across the United States. The article draws attention to the discourse of monumentality that surrounded the sculpture at its various locations as well as the indexical impact of the obelisk form. It argues that, by maintaining links to memorial art traditions, the artist evoked a sense of history as well as immediacy and, in doing so, introduced conflict into perceptions of presence. Situating Broken Obelisk in relation to the wider history of the ancient monument form, the article demonstrates how the sculpture’s dialogue with the existing monumental landscape allowed it to participate in contemporary debates about nation, race, and war.