Overview
- Summary
- This thesis takes Peter Eisenman's soon to be built Holocaust memorial as a focal point for considerations of contemporary memory practices that test the limits of representation. It begins by situating the memorial within the spatial and discursive landscape of contemporary Berlin, one that is dominated by the mythology of former chancellor Helmut Kohl. The intended function of Eisenman's monument is then questioned through an examination of its relation to several central figures of deconstruction and trauma theory, such as the chora, the uncanny, and the witness. This thesis ultimately argues that the Eisenman memorial problematically presents the Holocaust as a sanctified event that is beyond even partial comprehension. By positioning the traumatic events of the past as impenetrable voids that lie beyond the limits of representation, the monument assumes the ethical burden of remembering, rather than dispersing this ethical call amongst its audience. The emerging aesthetic tradition of the counter-monument is looked to for examples of self-critical contemporary memorials that initiate an active process of remembering within specific communities.
- Format
- Book
- Published
- [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2003
- Locale
- Germany
Berlin - Notes
-
Thesis (M.A.)--Concordia University, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 94-99).
Photocopy. Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Dissertation Services, 2005. 22 cm.
Dissertations and Theses
Physical Details
- Language
- English
- External Link
-
Electronic version from ProQuest
- Additional Form
-
Electronic version(s) available internally at USHMM.
- Physical Description
- vi, 99 pages
Keywords & Subjects
- Record last modified:
- 2024-06-21 18:04:00
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/bib102612
Additional Resources
Librarian ViewDownload & Licensing
- Terms of Use
- This record is digitized but cannot be downloaded online.
In-Person Research
- Available for Research
- Plan a Research Visit
- Check Nearby Libraries
-
Request in Shapell Center Reading Room
Bowie, MD
