Abstract
The human landscape is neither natural nor neutral. Rather, it is the outcome of human decision making thereby reflecting the operation of social, economic and political power. This is particularly true of memorial landscapes and the memories they embody and communicate. Enshrined in stone and steel, such landscapes and the individual artefacts that they contain are often taken to stand for collective memory. However, these memories are selectively curated telling specific narratives considered to be deserving of remembering while ignoring others deemed unworthy. Hence, memorial landscapes are simultaneously inclusionary and exclusionary. Drawing upon a case study of The City of Adelaide’s North Terrace Cultural Precinct, this paper teases out these processes. Specifically, the paper reveals how the memories of British Colonisation have and continue to overshadow those of a range of non-hegemonic groups, particularly First Nations People upon whose unceded and stolen land this cultural precinct stands. The paper contends that through more nuanced design and landscape management practices a more inclusive public realm can be created and in doing so curate a more holistic understanding of the past, its lessons in the present and how this may contribute to a more equitable future.
Presenters
Matthew RofeResearch Degree Coordinator, UniSA Creative, The University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
MEMORIAL, MEMORY, LANDSCAPE, INCLUSION, EXCLUSION, DESIGN, MANAGEMENT
