We could consider our cities as landscapes defined by key spaces: streets, monuments, relevant buildings and public spaces. Those places are just a few examples of landmarks that define the memory and the history of our towns. But in fact, we could consider to redefine those landmarks and thanks of that our collective historical narrative.
In this interesting text Robert Smithson explores the notion of the monument just walking through the limits from Passaic, New Jersey. After the reading:
- Do you remember any place "place without history" in your hometown? Could you use this notion of Smithson's text to recognize those types of spaces? - Which differences and similarities could you mark if you compare a "place without history" and a more official and traditional monument?
- What type of narrative could we evoke through those spaces?