THE CRISIS OF MONUMENTS: TURN FROM "HISTORY FOR ALL" TO A PERSON (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MONUMENTS IN PRAGUE)

Abstract

The construction of monuments is well-established commemorative practices, which, however, is subjected to considerable criticism as having exhausted its potential. The writer and essayist R. Musil already at the beginning of the XX century wrote, "There is nothing in the world that is as inconspicuous as monuments."

The article examines the reasons for this situation, such as the limitation of traditional means of artistic expression, the oversaturation of the modern urban environment, as well as the crisis of continuity mechanisms within culture, which makes the symbolic meaning of monuments incomprehensible. In this regard, the article raises a question about the future of monuments and possible ways to actualize them as a means of commemoration. These include a more thoughtful integration of the monument into the urban space, a revision of established external forms and methods of influence, as well as an expansion of the range of events and personalities whose memory the monuments reflect, beyond the traditional historical narratives.

As a concrete material for analysis, the article considers the monuments of the city of Prague, mainly of recent years. The reason for this choice was that the modern urban planning practice in Prague is quite dynamic and open to various new approaches to creating monuments, which allows following the latest trends in this area.