TL;DR
A statue of Palestinian-American civil rights leader Alex Odeh, vandalized multiple times over decades, is now being turned into a living, participatory artwork called ‘The Stolen Dove.’ The project aims to keep Odeh’s legacy alive through community engagement and shared responsibility.
Artist Jon Rubin has launched a new participatory art project called ‘The Stolen Dove’ to transform the vandalized memorial statue of Palestinian-American activist Alex Odeh into a decentralized, living artwork. The project involves community members hosting a replica of the dove, fostering dialogue and remembrance, and aims to keep Odeh’s legacy alive amid ongoing threats and neglect.
The bronze statue of Alex Odeh outside the Santa Ana Public Library, created in 1994 by Khalil Bendib, has been repeatedly vandalized over the past decades, including instances of red paint splashes and the theft of its dove symbol. In 2020, the dove was stolen but later recovered, and last December, it was removed intentionally to facilitate the new project.
Artist Jon Rubin, during his residency at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, decided to reimagine the statue as a participatory artwork after consulting with the artist Khalil Bendib and Odeh’s daughter Helena. Rubin received their blessing to remove the dove and create a new form of memorial that is not fixed but dispersed across communities.
‘The Stolen Dove’ involves community members hosting the dove for events, dinners, and performances, turning the memorial into a network of shared stories and responsibility. Each host receives a replica of the dove, creating a decentralized, living monument that emphasizes dialogue, hospitality, and collective memory.
Why the Living Memorial Matters for Odeh’s Legacy
This project highlights the importance of actively engaging communities in remembering civil rights leaders like Alex Odeh, especially as the original monument faced vandalism and neglect. It emphasizes that memorials can be dynamic and participatory, fostering ongoing dialogue about peace, justice, and anti-Arab discrimination in the U.S.
By dispersing the memorial across homes and institutions, the project aims to keep Odeh’s ideals alive in everyday spaces, encouraging conversation about his work and the broader issues of anti-Arab violence and occupation. It also underscores the ongoing relevance of Odeh’s fight for civil rights and peace.
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Background of Alex Odeh and the Memorial’s History
Alex Odeh was born in Jifna, Palestine, in 1944, and experienced the Nakba as a child. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1972, becoming a prominent civil rights advocate and regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Odeh was assassinated in 1985 when a pipe bomb exploded at the ADC offices in Santa Ana, an attack linked to right-wing groups, though no one has been arrested, and the case remains unsolved.
The bronze statue outside the Santa Ana Public Library, depicting Odeh holding a book and a dove, was created in 1994 by Khalil Bendib. It has been vandalized multiple times, including in 1996, 1997, and 2020. The dove was stolen in 2020 but recovered shortly after. Last December, it was removed to facilitate the new community-based project.
The project was first announced in January at the Sundance Film Festival, with initial events in Southern California, including private gatherings and community dinners, aimed at honoring Odeh’s legacy and addressing ongoing issues of anti-Arab discrimination.
“Here was a monument that was simultaneously being attacked and overlooked: a work that remained politically charged enough to attract repeated acts of vandalism, yet had become somewhat invisible to the public around it.”
— Jon Rubin
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Unresolved Questions About the Project’s Scope
It is not yet clear how many communities or institutions will participate in hosting the dove, or how long the project will continue. The full impact and reach of the decentralized memorial are still developing, and the future steps beyond the initial events remain uncertain.
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Upcoming Events and Long-Term Plans for the Memorial
The dove will be hosted at the 839 House Gallery in Hollywood on July 18 for an evening of music, readings, and community gathering. Additional hosting events are planned in the coming months, with the goal of expanding the network of participants and stories. The project aims to sustain community involvement and evaluate its impact over time.
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Key Questions
What is ‘The Stolen Dove’ project?
‘The Stolen Dove’ is a participatory art project that transforms the vandalized memorial statue of Alex Odeh into a decentralized, community-driven monument, involving community members hosting replicas of the dove for events and gatherings.
Why was the original statue vandalized so often?
The statue has been targeted multiple times due to its political symbolism and the ongoing tensions surrounding Odeh’s legacy and issues related to Palestine and anti-Arab discrimination in the U.S.
How can community members participate?
Individuals and organizations can host the dove at events, dinners, or performances, helping to keep Odeh’s memory alive and fostering dialogue about peace and justice.
Will the original statue be restored?
There are no current plans to restore or reinstall the original statue. The project focuses on creating a living, distributed memorial through community participation.
What is the significance of the dove in the project?
The dove symbolizes peace, hope, and Odeh’s work as a peace activist. The project’s focus on the dove aims to keep these ideals central to the community’s remembrance efforts.
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