Calling Memory into Place

Memory can be mobilized for social justice through memorials, photographs, artworks, and autobiographical stories. They can reinterpret the past by recalling the events, people, perspectives, and feelings that get excluded from conventional histories. This study explores the intersections between racism, antisemitism, and sexism and suggests how awareness of historical trauma is deeply inscribed on the body.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 264 pages
\n Publication date: 30 October 2020
\n Publisher: Rutgers University Press
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In her captivating exploration, acclaimed art historian Dora Apel delves into the powerful potential of memorials, photographs, artworks, and autobiographical narratives to ignite a transformative process of "unforgetting." Through the lens of her ten thought-provoking essays featured in Calling Memory into Place, Apel skillfully reinterprets the past by reclaiming the events, individuals, perspectives, and emotions that often fall outside the purview of conventional histories. These essays delve into the contentious debates surrounding a painting of Emmett Till in the Whitney Biennial and the discussions surrounding a national lynching memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. Additionally, Apel shares personal accounts of her journey back to the Polish town where her Holocaust survivor parents grew up, as well as the ways in which she drew strength from her inherited trauma during her battle with breast cancer.

These essays seamlessly weave together scholarly insights, personal reflections, and visual narratives, employing diverse modes of knowledge to shed light on the intricate intersections of racism, antisemitism, and sexism. Moreover, they propose a profound understanding of historical trauma as deeply etched within the body, highlighting the dynamic nature of memory as it transcends geographical boundaries and spans generations. By meticulously investigating the relationships between place, memory, and identity, Apel unveils the profound ways in which our past shapes our present and future. Through her insightful and thought-provoking work, Calling Memory into Place offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complexities of memory, identity, and the ongoing struggle for social justice.

\n Weight: 540g\n
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 25 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781978807839\n \n