Lenin in Fremont

Lenin in Fremont. Art Outlives Politics. Seen by most as one of the most controversial art pieces in Fremont; the sculpture of Lenin reminds us that art outlives politics , a stalwart reminder of egregious policy not to be repeated. , One of A Kind , Weighing over 7 tons, the sculpture, designed by Slavic artist Emil Venkov, took ten years to complete and was installed in Poprad, Slovakia in 1988, only to be toppled by revolution in 1989. It is unique; we believe it is the only representation portraying Lenin surrounded by guns and flames instead of holding a book or waving his hat. The sculptor, while fulfilling the requirements of his state commission, was nevertheless able to express his vision of Lenin as a violent revolutionary, not just as an intellectual and theoretician. , History of Lenin in Fremont , Lewis Carpenter , While teaching in Poland, American veteran Lewis Carpenter discovered the sculpture lying face down in the mud. Carpenter recognized the skill and craftsmanship of Venkov, as well as the boldness of his portrayal. Determined to preserve the statue, Carpenter mortgaged his house to acquire it and brought it back to his home in Issaquah, Washington. , Carpenter had dreams of making the statue a centerpiece for the Slovakian restaurant he wanted to open. Instead, he died in a car accident in 1994, leaving his debt and the disposition of the statue to his family. They settled upon an agreement with Fremont community representatives to site the sculpture here for the work to be seen and enjoyed, as Carpenter wished, and hopefully to find it a permanent home. , On the Move , Originally, the sculpture came to reside in Fremont near the northwest corner of Evanston Ave N and N 34th St (currently the Red Door Alehouse), on a parking lot used as overflow for Fremont Sunday Market vendors. Record winter rainfall, in 1996-7, caused the ground under the parking lot to destabilize. Structural engineers advised the property owner that removing the 8-ton bronze paperweight would effectively prevent a slide. Eventually, the property would be fully reinforced when the Red Door located there in 2001. , Still promoting the temporary nature of the exhibit, and its future replacement with other large art works for purchase, local artists and activists convinced another property manager to allow installation of a permanent pedestal on which to display art, beginning with Lenin. Fortunately for Fremont organizers, the Mayor of Seattle, Paul Schell, came through the neighborhood the day of the cement pour and signed his name to the pedestal project. The 16-ft (5m) sculpture relocated to this site in 1997, awaiting a buyer. , Is Lenin for Sale? , At its original installation, in 1995, the statue carried a sign asking for $150,000, Or-Best Offer. In 2001, the price reportedly had gone up to $250,000. In 2008, the agent for the Carpenter family reported that the price had, inexplicably, increased to $300,000. Offers buy the sculpture to melt down the bronze have been refused. Still owned by Lewis Carpenter’s family, the family is still considering offers for sale and a permanent home for this controversial piece. , Lenin - Right or Wrong? , The mere presence of this sculpture evokes very strong reactions. If artists seek to create emotion and reaction, Venkov and the Fremont community can claim success almost daily. Many recall the sufferings caused by Lenin’s policies, and see the statue as an affront, while others celebrate the triumph of capitalism and whimsy over Soviet oppression. , The sculpture, and its installation here, continually launches dialogues about history, art and the differences between Lenin, Stalin and John Lennon (although even when masked with the features of the beloved Beatle, Venkov’s sculpture really can’t pull a resemblance.) , Lenin, even in bronze and often decorated with little regard to the dignity of a dead dictator, continues to cause controversy.