Category — Architecture/Place/Memorial

Earlier in the year we as a class went to columbia university to look at the history of comic books in America. Although it was slightly bland, i did enjoy quite a few parts of it. First and foremost, the thing i really enjoyed was looking at the comic from the late 1700s when the Columbia students tried to make their teacher’s life miserable. In this comic, we see the teacher having an affair and getting an asian woman pregnant, then offering her a large amount of money to get the baby aborted. I found it mind numbing that truthfully nothing much has changed over the last 300 years as we still have the stories about affairs and offering a lot of money to a woman to abort her child. Another part i liked was the cosplay of the Red Dahlia it was so well made i was shocked that someone wouldve put that much effort. One thing i didnt like is that i was expecting more comic books about superheroes like Xmen but apparently the curator is more of a fan of historical comics as opposed to hero comics. I guess this shows the importance of a curator in the development of an exhibit as it can completely change the atmosphere of the show.

Out of all the events to thus far I have to say the Columbia comic book archive was my least favorite. Not to say that it was a bad experience or a horrible time, but it just wasn’t great. I enjoy comics and have a little bit of knowledge regarding some of the more popular, mainstream comics such as DC and Marvel so I expected the archive to reflect those aspects of comics and maybe explain their history and how they have evolved. Maybe because of what I was expecting to happen didn’t happen altered my view of the event, but I think it was more so of the information that was presented. All the comics and pictures and everything present were actually interesting to view and talk about, but I felt the collection was lacking in information of what comics actually were and how their history relates to the time now/ how they have affected modern media. But what I did learn more of is the different types of comics, and the more business-like and analytical aspect of comics. The most interesting thing in the collection for me was the cosplay costume, because it was honestly really cool, and the Columbia comic made by the students. I was so surprised about the crude and MTV like nature of the comic and how students years ago who today we view as super intellectual sounding students who would casually say things that sound directly out of a Victorian English novel would create something like that. For me that comic showed how no matter what the age and decade is, college boys basically have the same type of humor. I wish the archive was more inclusive towards people who have little or no interest in comics and had more information of the topics/characters that we associate comics with.

This was the first time  I attended both the 9/11 and Vietnam Memorials. I was shocked at the difference of the two.

The 9/11 memorial to me is beautiful from an architectural and artistic point of view. I loved the square shape of the memorial. The waterfall streaming from the sides of the memorial looked beautiful. But what scared me was that the water was flowing into a black hole. Looking at the hole, I had an eery feeling. I kept thinking about how the water was streaming down into the hole and into nothingness. I began to think about all of the people who died from the tragedy of 9/11. I did not want their legacy and memory to go into nothingness. I wanted people to remember Frank c. Salvaterr and Dowell Jr. who perished on 9/11. I wanted people to realize how crazy 9/11 was. How crazy the people who were behind 9/11 were. I want someone to make sure that this never happens again. At the memorial I took a picture of 3 names and a rose. The rose signified that it was the person’s birthday recently. The whole time I kept thinking about how that family is never going to be able to spend another birthday with their loving relative.

I was shocked to see that there were no people at the Vietnam memorial. The memorial was dark and drab with not a single person in sight. I felt bad that no one was at the memorial. There were millions of people at the 9/11 memorial. I felt as if the Vietnam memorial was neglected. I loved the letters that were written across the Vietnam memorial. One of the letters that stood out to me was: I just wanted to let you know that I am OK… Love Kenny. I could imagine that his parent’s must have been so happy to receive a letter that their son was OK. I know I would be.

Memorials to me are a great idea. It is a great idea to build something that represents something that happened in order for everyone to know and remember what happened. By seeing a memorial people will learn to never forget. Memorials are a good way to help people deal with their pain experienced by the tragedy. When people see the 9/11 memorial for example, they know that they are not alone. Other people lost people from 9/11 and there are families that know what they are going through.

The class trip to both the 9/11 Memorial and the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was not my first time visiting those places. I’ve passed by the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial frequently and glanced at it a few times, and I’ve visited the 9/11 Memorial on numerous occasions. I always have something new to think about when I visit the latter. Growing up and going to school a few blocks from the WTC buildings has given me a unique perspective on the incident. I was in Kindergarten when the planes struck and brought down the Twin Towers. My family had to stay at my uncle’s in New Jersey for over a week until we were cleared to come back to Battery Park City. I wasn’t quite old enough to fully acknowledge the catastrophe when it happened, but I’ve developed a deeper understanding of it as I grew older.

I truly appreciate the scale of the memorial pools and think that they represent the memory of the people and the buildings quite well. The fact that it’s a commonplace for hundreds of people to convene and experience the grandeur of the event and the memorial itself is very impressive. Looking at the memorial as a work of art, I always enjoy the texture and shine of the water, which to me looks like the facade of the Twin Towers themselves. The fact that the names of every person who died as part of the attacks are a part of the memorial evoke a sense of unity between all the mourning families and even others just admiring the memorial. Another noticeable aspect of the pools/fountains is that you can’t see the bottoms. From what I’ve heard this represents the idea of eternity, specifically how the event will never be forgotten. I wish we would also have had the chance to go to the museum there too as it’s equally as impressive, if not more.

The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial is quite different from the 9/11 Memorial in terms of size, media, and popularity. As opposed to two large, deep pools, this memorial consisted of a medium-sized wall of glass panels. The wall was inscribed with quotes and letters from soldiers, their family members, and military officials. The outstanding effect of this was a sense of reluctance. All of the inscriptions conveyed this feeling in their text, and it was exacerbated by the fact that there were so many and that the fonts were often small and difficult to read without proper lighting. Also this sense was heightened by my own fatigue and the fact that our class was the only group of people viewing the memorial. Despite this I still enjoyed the memorial and appreciated its differences from the 9/11 Memorial.

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.

As soon as I got onto the streets of New York City, I saw one thing everywhere. It was the Freedom Tower and it could be seen in the sky wherever I was that day. It basically followed me as I went towards the memorial and as I left the memorial. It was like a memory that could never be forgotten, a memory that was always just there. The 9/11 memorial was the largest memorial site that I have ever been to. The majority of memorial sites that I have visited ended up being no larger than an average sized living room, and objects were randomly scattered about. The 9/11 memorial was well organized and executed. Everything that was in it had a meaning that could be understood by anyone who ever heard of 9/11. When I walked into the memorial site, from the city streets, I noticed that all the noise of the city just vanished. As soon as you enter the premises of the memorial, the only sound you really hear is the sound of the water flowing into the earth. It created an environment that promoted concentration and serenity. Wherever you looked, you see massive skyscrapers that would only permit you to see the different landmarks in the memorial. Once you got inside the memorial, there was no getting out- unless you physically left the memorial.

You can’t compare the 9/11 memorial to the Vietnam War Memorial. The each provide two completely different atmospheres that cannot work together. The Vietnam memorial promotes a sense of struggle. No sound is lost from the outside world. The lighting was extremely dim due to the two buildings that surround the memorial. The letters on the blocks were extremely tiny. Whoever designed the memorial wanted to make sure that whoever read the memorial would struggle and feel extremely uncomfortable just as the soldiers did during the war.

There isn’t much to say about the memorials that others haven’t already stated. The 9/11 memorial was very moving like what most others already said, while the Vietnam memorial was small and abandoned. Looking at the two memorials and after the discussion we had in class the following friday i began to think back to my english class from high school.

My teacher use to talk about memory’s and how things existed. Such as to the extent that we exist. Seeing the differences between the 9/11 and Vietnam memorial it relates to the discussion my class use to have. The 9/11 memorial is a very tragic thing that occurred a little over a decade ago, while the war in Vietnam happened much longer ago. Slowly however the extent to which the two are remembered is different. Not many people now a day experienced or remember the Vietnam war, but many people remember 9/11. I honestly didn’t know new york had a Vietnam memorial and I had never gone to the 9/11 one. One day in the near future people will not remember experiencing what occurred during the Vietnam war, and in the further future, people will not remember first hand experiences of 9/11.

One day the only thing that will remain will the the documented experiences of 9/11 and Vietnam and no one will know first hand what had actually occurred. Then the highly guarded 9/11 we visited on tuesday will end up looking similar to Vietnam where people seem to be around not very much by choice.

I just noticed my post is very negative so i should add a positive aspect. I did enjoy the memorial very much with how everything in Manhattan was drowned out by the fall of the water. There was a certain amount of peace in just listening to water fall and not have to deal with cars and people around you. Even with the emptiness of the Vietnam memorial, it was made more positive since all of us students were there looking at it, rather than being alone to see it.

The two memorials we visited were structurally very different from one another and, I think, sought to accomplish different goals. The 9/11 Memorial is grand: two huge waterfall pools amongst rows and rows of trees, creating a scenic and pensive atmosphere. The design is in fact titled “Reflecting Absence.” Water is the quintessential symbol of reflection, as it mirrors whatever peers into it. Here, not only do the thousands of tourists try to look into the pools, but the pools also are facing the sky of Manhattan—the city’s towering buildings. I don’t know exactly what that could mean, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that where these two pools are now, the tallest buildings of Manhattan once stood. We see the skyline in the pools’ reflection, but a different skyline than what once was. The pools are serene, but also are quite frankly giant holes in the ground, and I think that there is something melancholy about that. Maybe it reminds us of the destruction that took place, the gaping hole that remains in New York City, in out hearts, in the world. The 9/11 Memorial is a place that induces contemplative thought, self-reflection.

The Vietnam memorial surely also provokes thought, but it does so differently. And, possibly more importantly, it provokes a different kind of thought. Where the 9/11 Memorial was grand and striking, the Vietnam memorial contained nothing more than a modest wall, its site inconspicuous to the average passerby. There was one small round fountain, which if I’m not mistaken was empty when we visited. And if it wasn’t, well clearly it didn’t impact me enough to remember it. The most noticeable part of this memorial was the use of words on the wall, the myriad of letters written by soldiers during the war. It was, to say the least, sad. Most of the letters were pessimistic, reflecting doubts in the country and in humanity. It was the complete opposite of the 9/11 Memorial. Where the 9/11 Memorial used words to remember the fallen, thousands of names encircling the pool in a meditative, symbol-of-life sort of way, the Vietnam memorial used words to exhibit death and hopelessness. They both reflect the respective public opinion of what happened: 9/11 was a unanimous tragedy; we are all essentially affected the same way. The Vietnam War doesn’t have that; there are no undisputed opinions about anything, even (especially) about the morality of our own soldiers. We try to honor the dead, though not without questions on humanity.

The wall was, however, made of glass, which also contains a reflective quality. But the letters printed on that glass steer our contemplation in a certain direction. The 9/11 Memorial was completely full of people, while we were the only ones at the Vietnam Memorial. The juxtaposition of the two memorials in my mind clearly highlights the differences in physical appearance and in meaning. And I think that to some extent, we all will remember the event by how we remember the memorial.

I found the 9/11 Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial to evoke very different emotions. When walking around the 9/11 Memorial, I was in awe by the beauty of the waterfall and its purpose as well. I’ve been to this memorial before, but I had no idea that the waterfall was meant to reflect the texture of the towers! That was really meaningful and even cool. My elementary school principal’s son, Marc Zeplin A”H, actually passed away on 9/11. Seeing his name at the memorial was so surreal. Even though I was just in kindergarten, I remember that day clearly. But it wasn’t until I was slightly older that I understood the huge loss some of us were forced to endure. Realizing how many names were listed at the memorial, I started becoming a little emotional. These people thought they were heading to work on just a typical Tuesday morning, but instead they were headed to their unanticipated deaths. They each had unique lives and had to lose them  just because they worked in one of two specific buildings in all of New York City.

I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed by the Vietnam Memorial; I just had a different reaction than I did from the 9/11 Memorial. I felt that the Vietnam Memorial did not have the same amount of recognition than that of the 9/11 Memorial. Maybe it’s because we expect soldier casualties from war, but what happened on 9/11 was an unexpected personal attack on our country. As a class, we were the only people visiting and so I felt that it was slightly neglected. But I still loved reading the letters between the soldiers and their families on the wall. It also made me realize the realistic aspects of war. When a soldier chooses to fight, they leave so much behind. They sacrifice so much for such a noble and heroic purpose.

I have so many pictures from both memorials, but for some reason when I try uploading them it keeps saying error and to try again. I’m so upset because I learned how to use panoramic setting on my phone for the first time and it turned out to be so cool! Its fine though because I’ll just show you all in class.

It was kind of disappointing to visit the Vietnam Memorial after seeing the 9/11 one. Please do not get me wrong, it was beautiful and made me just as sad as the 9/11 Memorial, but it was not grand, or majestic, or attention grabbing. However, the Vietnam Memorial had something that the 9/11 Memorial could not give me. It let me see into the minds of the soldiers and almost feel a little fleck of what they felt. It was more personal. I am fortunate enough to say that I did not lose anyone my family knew personally on 9/11, which is perhaps why I could not feel the same loss as some people did at the 9/11 Memorial. However, I saw that loss at the Vietnam Memorial. I saw the loss of humanity and hope in those quotes by those soldiers. There was one quote on the wall the read something like, “Is this all for nothing?” This soldier was doubting his purpose and the use of his life. There were many other, and probably more powerful quotes at the Vietnam Memorial that made me see beyond a name and see a person, not just some name I did not know. Reading the letters from those soldiers made the experience more personal. It made me see inside their minds and thoughts and feelings. Ironically, the Vietnam Memorial pulled me into the art more than the 9/11 Memorial did. It pulled me into all the emotion that comes with war and loss of hope and death. After talking about the Vietnam Memorial with some of the class, I finally understood that the artist wanted the viewer to move around. He/she wanted the viewer to back up to see the large printing and get really close to see the fine printing and walk through the “doorway” or “arch” in the wall. This, again, sucked me into the art. The artist obviously wanted the viewer to look at the wall from different angles and perhaps step back and think about what they just read. Unfortunately, I was too tired to stand and think, so I sat down and thought about the horrible things these men probably saw. I will probably never understand what it means to truly go to war, but reading what these soldiers thought gave me a glimpse. They were probably surrounded by death. I think that this echoes in the location of the Vietnam Memorial. The wall seems to be built between a noisy street and the water. When I was reading what was written on the wall, I could hear neither the noise of the city or the noise of the water.

I really hope I do not offend someone in my review, but the 9/11 Memorial reminded me of everything else in the city, royal, grand, large (in its own way) and callous. The memorial seemed to be made of deep gray metals that were cold. It did draw me in to some extent, but not the way the Vietnam Memorial did. The group of friends I was with for most of the trip did visit both “grounds,” but were not very much pulled into the architecture. I understand that the giant square-shaped holes in the ground are constantly being filled with water, but are never really being filled, and is supposed to represent this massive void that the day left in America’s pride and in the families of those who lost in 9/11, but the memorial did not pull me in emotionally. As I may have mentioned, it was about a list of names of people I did not know, and could not connect with. Something I think that the artist took in consideration when designing the structure is that it is impossible to see the end of the “holes” from around the memorial. I think this is also meant to represent that the void has no end and can never be quenched. I think if I knew someone who lost their life on 9/11, I would have a deeper emotional connection to this memorial. After talking about the memorial with some of the class, I finally understood that the memorial is supposed show the large number of people who lose their lives on 9/11. To some extent, it is about the names. So many people lost their lives on that day. The artist probably wanted the viewer to think about the number of people. People were in the plans, in the buildings, and some lost their lives trying to save others. Something I noticed about the scenery is that the memorials (essentially two giant square holes in the ground) were framed by trees creating another square, around the memorial. I think this was purposely done to frame the 9/11 Memorial, to make it appear as a true work of art. Or maybe this was purposely done to capture the two massive voids the artist created.

Disclaimer: I did take pictures at the memorial, and I know we touched upon this in class, but something I did not say is that (as I’ve mentioned in this review) I am fortunate enough to say I did not lose anyone on 9/11, which is perhaps why I do not fully understand what this memorial means. It acts as a place people can come to for closure and mourning. I will not feel the same loss they felt, but seeing it gave me a sense of what some of those people were feeling and taking a picture of it means capturing the feeling, essentially making it last longer. I am so so so so so sorry if this offended people.