Monuments in motion: contemporary art, public memories and urban identities

Abstract

This photo essay is an exploration of how monuments, that try to give coherence to our shared past and identity, can be rethought through modern art. Specifically, it centres on an art festival in Balaguer, Spain, where an art installation titled MONUMENT by the MITO Collective was set up close to an existing monument of a 18th century Spanish conquistador. During the festival, the monument of the conquistador was vandalised and subsequently removed. The photo essay shows that instead of being static symbols, monuments can be lively spaces that encourage us to talk, question the usual stories told by history, and engage more actively with our collective memories. By presenting reactions to the MONUMENT installation, which featured slogans from various social movements, it suggests that monuments can be places where ongoing stories and conflicts are acknowledged. This shift in perspective invites us to keep rethinking how history can be negotiated in public places, making room for a wider range of voices and stories.