The Jury Is Out

A memorial is to be erected in the town, a place to commemorate the Peaceful Revolution, a document to an eventful history. A jury has been formed from among the town’s outstanding personalities and cultural champions in order to come up with the perfect artistic expression. Now the final decision looms. But it soon transpires that the seemingly simple selection process also touches upon existential questions about the ‘right’ way to remember a revolution. Who is right? Those who, back then, took to the streets, or those who benefit from the achievements today? The longer the jury sits, the more the situation threatens to escalate - while outside their window, a new generation of protesters wants to make history.

Is there such a thing as collective recollection, and is it possible, in a society characterised by opposing interests, to create a memorial that is valid and of value for all? Who decides how to commemorate, and who loses out?