How Memorials Move

"I wanted my design to work with the land, to make something with the site, not to fight it or dominate it." This was what Maya Lin worked towards when creating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. She put thought into every aspect of the memorial from the material to the location. Placed in a serene park, opposite of the Constitution Avenue, in Washington D.C., the location made it appropriate to reflect and remember the sacrificed. Additionally, positioned between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, the memorial represents the unity of the past, present, and future. Static monuments like this are intentionally placed in a location where it can highlight the memorial to its fullest. While reading about the importance of location to memorials, I found myself wondering if all memorials are meant to stay in one place.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt started in 1987 and is an ongoing memorial that has around 50,000 panels and stories of over 110,000 people who have been lost to aids. It is a huge collection where the people directly contribute to the project themselves. This memorials essentially moves throughout the country, in smaller parts, showcased in places like the San Francisco airport to NFL stadiums. With its temporary locations, the quilt lends itself to educating the general public and spreading awareness about its effects. I think for this memorial moving locations is what makes it honorable. Because AIDS is an ongoing disease that changes the lives of tens of thousands of people each year, moving from city to city is the best way to connect with people who have been effected by AIDS. In contrast to the more historical monuments this memorial is for the present people. It is a symbol of hope for the people currently fighting, and remembrance for the people who have already fought. It is a piece that continues to move as time passes, growing bigger and bigger.