ABSTRACT
There is a growing practice of erecting monuments to celebrate jazz icons. The histories surrounding these monuments tend to be obscure, and the decision-making process is often profoundly problematic. Still, the impact of such monuments is indeed monumental, as they not only secure public recognition for the figures they celebrate but actively construct new meanings. Monuments are a form of reception and representation, and invite new interpretations and rituals, since erecting monuments is an interpretative act, performed not so much by critics, journalists, or historians (the usual stakeholders) but by local fans who typically develop private initiatives. Soon, they find themselves negotiating with all kinds of municipal institutions, residents, and other parties, which usually are not involved in the process of historical interpretation. That process may yield unwieldy results.
The Duke Ellington Monument at the north-east corner of Central Park in Manhattan is a case in point. During the monument's decade-long genesis, there have been arguments over its location, possible sexism, (mis)representation of Ellington, towering dimensions, and its esthetical merits. To some, it bluntly celebrates Ellington's heterosexual masculinity. Consequently, the monument affirms gendered power structures and ideologies of male leadership and control next to dominant narratives of jazz as America's classical music.
