Memorial gardens as dramaturgical space |
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Authors: | Paul Gough |
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Institution: | Associate Dean at the Faculty of Art, Media and Design , University of the West of England , Bristol, UK |
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Abstract: | Abstract Since the end of the First World War British and Allied military cemeteries and memorial sites have been designed within a carefully controlled Imperial aesthetic. The emotional and historical capital of these sites has made objective judgement difficult; the burden of martial memory has made innovation in design almost impossible. This paper examines how the Dominion forces – notably Canada – achieved a distinct nationalism in their war memorials after the Great War. By focussing on two recent Canadian memorial sites – in London and France – the paper speculates on the ways in which artistic and military precedent informs the construction of monuments of conflict. The study concludes by looking at the recent public enthusiasm for floral and other temporary memorials which have challenged the rhetoric of official mourning. |
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Keywords: | War Memorials Commonwealth War Graves Commission Monuments Canada Landscapes of Conflict National Identity |
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