MONUMENTOPOLY
DIMENSIONS: 60(h) x 60(w)
MEDIUM: Mixed Media on Canvas
YEAR: 2019
ABOUT
In 1904, Lizzie Maggie wanted to create a board game that portrays “a harsh criticism of wealth disparity” as she was upset with the inequality around her and wanted to condemn the dire outcomes of unbridled capitalism. The Landlord's Game (the precursor to Monopoly) intended to educate players on the rules and regularities of realty and taxation. She quotes: “men and women will discover they are poor because Carnegie and Rockefeller (maybe) have more than they know what to do with.”
It’s safe to say that this hope has not been realized as Monopoly’s creator would look at today’s economic landscape and most likely be disheartened. Even more ironically, the board game has become a celebration of the economic practices it was originally designed to critique. Americans have acquiesced to an economy for (and ordered by) monopolies. Control of market share has become the desired outcome in every aspect of economic life – the logical conclusion of capitalism.