How do artists use concrete to interrogate historical memory?
Artists often employ concrete as a powerful medium to interrogate historical memory, leveraging its durability and weight to evoke themes of permanence and decay. By embedding fragments of history—such as archival documents, personal artifacts, or symbolic textures—into concrete, they create tactile connections to the past. This material choice reflects the tension between preservation and erosion, mirroring how collective memory is both constructed and fragmented over time. Installations and sculptures made of concrete become sites of reflection, challenging viewers to confront forgotten or suppressed narratives. Through this interplay of material and meaning, artists transform concrete from a mundane construction material into a profound vessel for cultural and historical dialogue.
