At this point in this class, I have come to look at the nature of memorials and shrines in a different, more complicated way. Before, I had only considered the impact of historical circumstances and power structures on monument building. I thought that these objects were a product of their time and the wishes of the people in control of public space. While this is often true, I have learned that memorials can also be built through grassroots efforts, can take many forms, and can even be temporary. I have learned a lot about the importance of place, visual vocabulary, and the way people interact with a site in understanding it. Hass's and Doss's books stand out to me as particularly engaging and informative. Hass's book demonstrated how many different traditions can influence one site, and Doss's showed the complex forms and motivations of memorials. Coming into the last part of our course concerning shrines, I find Kim's article fascinating in the way it addresses fusion of different elements, a cultural hybridity. Just as the designers of the national mall chose neoclassical elements for a purpose, bringing in a reference to imperial Rome, Kim shows how the designers of Shanti stupas have incorporated references to different religious traditions in order to bring people together. I think that from now on, when I see memorials, I will be looking at them with a more visually critical eye, and I will be able to better understand them by making connections with what I've studied this spring.
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