Boros Géza: Statue Park - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2002)

The endless promenade dedicated to the ideas and events of the labour movement

■ Monument of the Workers' Movement by litván Kin, igy6

costs apparently very advantageous to the buyer meant no more than including the artist's fees in the expenses.) Unveiled on May Day, the piece consisted of chromium-steel plates welded together in the shape of two enormous hands holding a red sphere decorated with a star. The conceptual message of this kitsch was that the ball "as a symbol of the moral values won by the workers in their struggle, fits perfectly into their iron hands, jealously protective as well as generously open to the world," says the artist's monographer Attila Tasnádi. Made originally of plastic, the ball was damaged and had to be replaced with a red- granite version in 1982. The basalt pedestal was embellished with reliefs "symbolising the social-political developments of the past three decades”, such as the post-war reconstruction, the carving up of the country’s big estates, the nationalisation of factories, etc. These reliefs soon disappeared, however. The former Workers’ Movement Walkway is now flanked by the decaying remnants of forgotten monuments. Although relocated to the Statue Park, István Kiss's work is in a hardly better state with rusty patches on the hands resembling post-mortal stains. Unless it is restored soon, the monument will be destroyed completely.

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