-Abraham Lincoln- still bank c. 1974

Editor: This is the Abraham Lincoln Still Bank, a bronze sculpture made around 1974. It’s kind of interesting—Lincoln looks pretty serious, and the metallic finish gives him a formal, almost untouchable quality. What's your interpretation of this work, particularly as a bank? Curator: Well, that's the critical question. We're not simply dealing with a portrait bust here, but a functional object. Think about the context of its production, circa 1974. This was a period of renewed interest in Lincoln, spurred by the Civil Rights Movement. A figure like Lincoln, associated with freedom and justice, becomes marketable, his image appropriated for a commodity, literally a container for money. The transformation of Lincoln into a piggy bank reflects on how cultural memory can be commodified and used for ideological purposes. Editor: So, the bank aspect turns it into something more than just a bust… it’s about *how* we remember and use Lincoln? Curator: Exactly. The question then becomes, what is the public role of a figure like Lincoln when reduced to a bank? Who profits from his image, and what does that say about our relationship with history? Is it meant to inspire savings or capitalize on his legacy? Editor: That's fascinating. I never considered the commercial and political layers embedded in something that seems so simple, like a portrait-bank. I guess that changes how I view other commemorative objects. Curator: It certainly invites us to be more aware of the powers shaping cultural narratives and representations. Always ask who benefits and to what end.