Human Rights, Collective Memory, and Counter Memory: Unpacking the Meaning of Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia

Authors

Melanie L. Buffington, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Erin Waldner, Virginia Commonwealth University

Document Type

Article

Original Publication Date

2011

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education

Volume

29

First Page

92

Last Page

108

Comments

Used by permission of the Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education.

Date of Submission

October 2014

Abstract

This article addresses human rights issues of the built environment via the presence of monuments in public places. Because of their prominence, monuments and public art can offer teachers and students many opportunities for interdisciplinary study that directly relates to the history of their location Through an exploration of the ideas of collective memory and counter memory, this article explores the specific example of Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, Further; the authors investigate differences in the ways monuments may be understood at the time they were erected versus how they are understood in the present. Finally, the article addresses the practices of contemporary artists who work with monuments and how teachers and students might study monuments in art classes.

Rights

Copyright © 2011 Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education

Is Part Of

VCU Art Education Publications