9/11 and Vietnam Memorials

What I really loved about this trip was that we were able to fully immerse ourselves in art. Until this point we’ve deeply examined visual art forms such as paintings, sculptures etc. Going to the memorial did have challenges when viewed as an art form. First and foremost it was difficult to view it simply as an art form. Throughout my life I have learned about the Vietnam War and I experienced in my lifetime the horrible events of 9/11. It’s difficult therefore for me to place myself out of that experience and put the memories on a back burner. It seems sacrilegious to say that these memorials are art. However I believe that one of the greatest honors for an artist is to remember those who lost their lives.

What I found amazing was the atmosphere and environment of the memorials. One part that stood out to me particularly was the sound. The sound of the waterfall was shockingly loud at first. It struck me as odd that this was the environment the artist displayed. After a few minutes I understood the “noise” to be a filter. Instead of jarring me it began to calm me and clear my head. I felt myself place myself fully in the moment of the memorial-that is the remembrance of those who lost their lives. I believe therefore that the 9/11 memorial was extremely “successful” in that I personally left there with a deeper understanding of what happened that day. The vietnam memorial tried to use this method as well. The memorial was in a relatively quiet square which created an environment and atmosphere that cleared your mind and focused it on the lives that were lost. It also had a fountain which was unfortunately not in use. Perhaps this was used to command sound to once again clear the visitors’ minds.  One thing I truly understood about memorials was the importance of environment. What a person is totally immersed in is extremely crucial to the success of the art piece and the conveying of the artist’s message. The command of all the senses was truly unique and certainly made this a unique experience of art in NYC.