As part of our 108 class, we were instructed to visit the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, which is situated near the public library in downtown Boise. Below I will describe the things I saw and some of my interpretations.
1. Describe what you see, including location (context) and physical space: The memorial is situated between two busy streets in downtown Boise; thus, you could see and hear traffic rushing past all around, which contrasted with the calm of the memorial itself. It incorporates many different elements such as stone, water, bushes, trees, grass, metal sculpture and railing, stone benches, words, quote walls, a stone bookcase, talking information boxes, and sky.
2. Describe the varying degrees of representation: There was a wide range of representation. Most representational would be the pictures that were included on the quote wall. Though two-dimensional, they are almost exact replicas of the people they represent. Also highly representational was the sculpture of Anne Frank by Greg Stone. Though perhaps the statue's features do not perfectly mimic those of Anne Frank, it is a life-size, three-dimensional piece. It's highly detailed: you could see the wrinkles in her clothes, the definition in her arms and legs, and the expression of longing in her eyes as she stands on a little chair, looking out her window. The house she hid in is represented in the shapes of the stone walls around her, but they are not perfect representations. They do not connect or have a roof overhead. Viewers must fill in details. Finally, one of the plaques pointed out lines in the cement directly behind the statue. These lines represented the room in which she hid for two years (16' 8" long x 6' 9" wide). Though minimally representational, they give the viewers a foundational idea with which they can imagine the rest of the room.
3. What are visual elements/principles that dominate in the memorial? The visual element I noticed most was the juxtaposition of geometric and natural shapes. Stone was used prominently throughout the piece. Sometimes it was left in its natural state (such as in the water feature), and other times it was manipulated to become a part of a wall or bench. Circles seem to be a dominating shape; the arrangement of stone benches around the statue and both quote walls were circular. That repetition gave the piece unity.
4. Is this memorial "site-specific"? Explain: Yes and no. On one hand, the material of the memorial is universal. It represents and idea, a celebration of human spirit, human rights, and freedom. The memorial could just as easily be located in New York or (considering the focus on Anne Frank) the Netherlands. However, it is site-specific in that the memorial's overall layout was designed to compliment the space in which it was located. Its size and shape were designed for the specific area between 9th and Capital.
5. Who created, designed and funded this memorial? I did not see the creator's or designer's names while at the memorial, but I was able to look them up online. Kurt Karst, an Idaho Falls architect, designed the space; the Idaho Human Rights Education Center built the memorial and donated it to the city in 2002, and many people funded the memorial, though perhaps most impressive was the large donation from Idaho schoolchildren.
6. What materials/media were used to create this memorial? Stone was heavily utilized in the walls, benches, and water feature. Metal was used as both an accent on some of the walls and as the highlight of the memorial: the statue of Anne Frank. Though most of the media was visual, there were audio elements as well through the use of hand-cranked, talking boxes.
7. How does the text/word elements function? The text draws viewers' eyes in and becomes a focus point. It is the main source of communication in the memorial. The serif typeface is simple, allowing it to focus solely on the ideas it presents and not on the look or visual appeal of the text. I believe the purpose of the text was to create a unifier between people and cultures. The quote walls feature words from people from all different countries and time periods, connected by a single idea: human rights.
8. Reflecting on your answers to the previous questions, what do you think was the intended meaning/function? Explain what is communicated: I suspect that the memorial's serves a dual function. On one hand, its meaning is purely as is stated in the verbage (on both the website and in the memorial itself). It promotes respect for human dignity and diversity and fosters individual responsibility to work for justice and peace. The second function, I believe, is to be a statement to the rest of the country and the world that Idaho is not entirely intolerant and backwards-thinking. Due to the large population of white supremacists in northern Idaho, the entire state tends to get a bad rap. This memorial works to show that we do not agree with such sentiments.
9. In your opinion, how successful is this memorial? Explain: I found the memorial to be quite touching. Some of the quotes, like the excerpt from a 1994 letter by Tutsi pastors to their Hutu church president, were horrifyingly sad. "We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families." It's a simple statement, no dramatic language, no outright accusations. Perhaps that's what makes it so powerful. Overall, I found the space to be an excellent place for reflection.
I'm a little surprised at the location. In some ways, it seems disrespectful to place it in such an area that traffic constantly buzzes around. On the other hand, it is a prominent location. I see it everyday when I commute to school. It is a constant reminder to the public of what we collectively support. And we need that reminder. As one of the quotes from the wall said, "None who have always been free can understand the terrible fascinating power of the hope of freedom to those who are not free." ~Pearl S. Buck.
Finally, the materials chosen were perfect. Stone in particular has connotations of permanence. By literally setting the quotes in stone, the creators of the memorial are communicating that these ideas are universal and permanent. Human beings will always deserve the right to freedom.
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