The affect of memorializing the loss, the affect of losing the memorial

Abstract

This chapter explores how war memorials express community identity in built form. Efforts to remove Confederate monuments as symbols of white supremacy and the institution of slavery in the American South raise critical ethical questions generally concerning the role of public architecture in the city and specifically concerning the role of war memorials in projecting communal values. This chapter draws from Goodman's understanding of how architecture conveys meaning to critically examine the symbolism of the Lee Memorial in New Orleans, LA, and the removal of the Lee Statue from its column in 2017. We consider the relevance of evolving landscapes and multiple publics for understanding the coded power relations expressed through memorial space and experienced through bodily encounter and interaction. Finally, we examine the role of public contestation in creating and shaping affective heritage. The case of Confederate monuments challenges us to consider the implications of two separate affective realities woven together across social geographies and the ensuing power struggle to dominate the memorial landscape. It further highlights the complex relational quality of affect in memorial architecture; these sites of heritage beckon us to engage with them as we make sense of our past and draw meaning for our future. We use this case study to examine the relevance of affect to place attachment and detachment as well as landscape coherency.