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Documented artwork / public electronic animation

A Logo for America

Alfredo Jaar

Credit as documented: Alfredo Jaar

Alfredo Jaar's A Logo for America appeared on the Spectacolor light board in Times Square from April 19 through May 2, 1987. Presented in Public Art Fund's Messages to the Public series, the animation challenged the habitual use of America to mean only the United States. Its sequence moves from a United States map and flag to an expanding word whose letter R becomes a map of both North and South America. Changes in color, outline, scale and rotation carry the argument within a commercial display environment.

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Verified artwork image for A Logo for America
Verified artwork imageImage: publicartfund.org ↗©2026 Public Art Fund (as credited at source)Artwork: Alfredo Jaar. Photographer not identified in the reviewed source. (as credited at source)

At a glance

Year / version
1987
Materials
computer animation on an electronic light board
Documented setting
outdoor
Dimensions
Not documented
Dimensions apply to
Not documented
Availability
Unconfirmed

Places & versions

Installation history

Historical presentations. A past installation does not establish the current location or suitability for a new site.

  1. April 19–May 2, 1987

    Spectacolor light board, Times Square, New York City, New York

    Site
    Spectacolor light board, Times Square
    Event
    Messages to the Public
    Start date
    1987-04-19
    End date
    1987-05-02
    Date meaning
    documented

    Installation details checked 2026-10-17.

    Installation source

Materials and construction

The series occupied an advertising light board with computer animation. This record identifies the documented 1987 presentation; it does not treat the screen's area as the dimensions of an editioned object.

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Sources