New Yorker Magazine Staff Writer Calvin Tomkins and Curator/Writer Dodie Kazanjian Deem Plans to Destroy MARABAR "immoral"
On April 28, 2020, Calvin Tomkins, staff writer at the New Yorker, and Dodie Kazanjian, curator, and writer who covers the art world for Vogue, wrote the following letter to the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) concerning plans that would demolish the sculpture MARABAR at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. Completed in 1984, MARABAR is the work of celebrated artist Elyn Zimmerman, who recently spoke with TCLF about her career and the National Geographic commission in particular. After officially listing the National Geographic headquarters in its Landslide program for threatened cultural landscapes and landscape features, TCLF also requested that the HPBR revisit the case in light of information that the review board lacked when it rendered its initial decision.
To the Historic Preservation Review Board:
At a time when so many fragile and vulnerable aspects of our democracy are being attacked and destroyed every day, it seems cruel — even immoral — to destroy a work of art that has given such pleasure and solace to so many people.
And make no mistake, to dismantle elyn zimmerman’s MARABAR would destroy it. MARABAR and its setting are in-divisible. To think that this is happening in Washington, D.C., makes this all the more painful. With all our hearts, we beg you to reconsider this shocking and disgraceful plan.
Sincerely,
Calvin Tomkins and Dodie Kazanjian
