Espace art actuel #112 – Counter-monuments

The theme of this issue of Espace art actuel is “Monuments/Counter-Monuments.” The monument is not a new concept; the notion emerged with the awareness of history. With its roots in the Latin monumentum, which signifies “that which serves as a reminder,” the monument is an object of commemoration. Its presence draws our attention to what once was, ultimately making us more mindful of the future and subtly evoking a duty of remembrance. But has this commemorative design lost its significance? Does the duty to remember depend upon building a permanent monument? A monument, especially when it evokes an event from the distant past, whether funerary or commemorative, is simply put on display. It exists for the purposes of official celebration, which circumvents the efforts required in the true act of remembering – particularly as monuments create the illusion of a collective memory.