Jim Hodges: Craig’s closet
For those of us with the good fortune to have a place to hang our things, a closet is a magical container, a collection of materials, arranged by each of us that at a glance can reveal our values, desires, cares, and even our deepest secrets. Time itself is frozen inside a closet in contrasting meters and timelines, fragmented in things accumulated and arranged in juxtaposed order, stacked and aligned, quickly thrown or casually dropped there to be taken care of later. The scene is set, and the narratives that blossom come alive whenever the doors swing open, giving us a reading, a reminder, an understanding of who we are, where we have been, secrets, and dreams we hold. Boxes concealing our heart’s contours, scribbled messages scratched on folded notes and cards, photos, records, files, all the stuff worth saving for the reason that each thing signifies, all these choices contained in the holding space, the closet.
Craig’s closet is a newly created artwork by Jim Hodges sited within New York City AIDS Memorial Park, which lies in the shadow of the former St. Vincent’s hospital and in proximity to many sites central to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This exact replica of a domestic bedroom closet in granite with additions of painted bronze invites viewers to forge personal connections between complex histories and individual and collective memories.
Craig’s closet is a continuation of the New York City AIDS Memorial’s public art program and is exhibited as a part of NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program.
Role: Commissioner
Date: June 2023—May 2024
Location: New York City AIDS Memorial, New York, NY
Artist: Jim Hodges
Image: © Jim Hodges, Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone Gallery; Photography by Daniel Greer
