Monument voor Gutenberg naar Eduard Schmidt von der Launitz in Frankfurt am Main 1858 - 1875

This is a photograph of the Gutenberg Monument in Frankfurt am Main by Theodor Creifelds. It captures the monument honoring Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, a symbol of enlightenment and progress. Monuments like this served as visual embodiments of national identity, reflecting and shaping collective memory. It prompts us to consider whose stories are deemed worthy of commemoration and how these choices reflect prevailing social hierarchies. Monuments are inherently gendered and racialized spaces. They often celebrate male figures from dominant ethnic groups, while marginalizing or excluding the contributions of women, people of color, and other minority groups. They encourage viewers to critically examine the power dynamics embedded within public spaces and to challenge the narratives that have historically shaped our understanding of history and identity. How might our public spaces look different if they were more inclusive? What untold stories are waiting to be unveiled and celebrated?