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Introduction

  • Speaker: Dr. Evan Goodman, PhD in Art History from Yale University.
  • Current Position: Assistant professor of art history at UCLA.
  • Purpose: Discuss the design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, its significance, and artistic merits.

Outline of Key Points

  1. Historical Context of Memorials

    • Two Types of Memorials
      • Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Virginia)
      • Features: Guarded 24 hours, symbolizes honor and recognition of bravery.
      • Represents the noble qualities of soldiers and their sacrifices.
      • Marine Corps Memorial
      • Notable for its immense size and symbolic value.
      • Bemi Bridge Memorial (Canada)
      • Commemorates Canadian soldiers who died in World War I.
      • Focuses on themes of sadness and loss through its statue.
    • Distinction in Themes
      • Maya Lin's design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial emphasizes loss over glory.
      • Opponents recognize this point—design intentionally redirects focus from honor.
      • Emphasizes collective grief over individual nobility.

  2. Artistic Aims

    • Perspectives of Supporters vs. Opponents
      • Supportive view: Maya Lin's memorial honors those who served and died.
      • Quote from Maya Lin: Purpose is to "recognize and honor" those veterans.
      • Opponent View: Scott Brewer emphasizes that a memorial to honor the Vietnam War veterans is overdue.
    • Disagreement on Honor
      • Need to examine differing interpretations of "honor."
      • Lin's design focuses on recognizing sorrow as a means of honor, rather than glorifying soldiers.
      • Tension exists between noble recognition and acknowledgment of loss and grief.
    • Importance of Diversity in Memorials
      • Suggestion that multiple memorials can coexist embodying both noble qualities and sorrow.
      • Emphasis on the undersupply of memorials recognizing somber aspects of war.
      • Lin's design addresses the need for a place to grieve rather than glorify sacrifice.

  3. Experience of Art

    • Description of the Memorial Experience
      • The memorial is designed as a sloped black granite wall, simulating a grave.
      • Effect: Names of veterans start small and grow as visitors walk down the slope.
      • Significance: Allows for a reflective experience where viewers see both history and personal reflection in the polished surface.
      • Interaction between the past and the present
      • Visitors engage not only with the names on the wall but with their own reflections.
      • Historical Remembrance
      • Memorial encapsulates both the events of the Vietnam War and the ongoing memories of those they left behind.

Conclusion

  • Final Acknowledgments
    • Thankful for the opportunity to speak.
    • Appreciation for Trevor Ball and the National Park Service's support.
  • Emphasis on comprehensive understanding of the memorial from historical, artistic, and experiential perspectives.