VISUAL CULTURE: PALIMPSEST

Posted: August 25th, 2021

VISUAL CULTURE: PALIMPSEST

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Visual Culture: Palimpsest

Humans’ culture, history, and anthropology are some of the key spheres that have now become common in arts. In particular, visual art is a new development which involves the use of images to retell and remind people of their past, present, and in some cases, their future. This culture is a major milestone in humans’ history as it demonstrates the historical shift on the significance of the vision. By observing images, people are able to conceptualize an experience that brings historical memories into the present. A critical assessment of five artworks by notable artists demonstrates this concept of conceptualization.  

Elek Imredy, Judge Begbie (1981)

The statue of Matthew Baillie Begbie is situated in New Westminster Courthouse. It was modeled by Elek Imredy, a prominent Hungarian sculptor who lived part of his life in Canada. The statue reminds people about Begbie who was a known politician, lawyer, and judge. To many people, Begbie is known as the hanging judge.[1]This statue, apparently, reminds people about the notorious behavior that Begbie demonstrated when he was alive. He often handed down hanging punishments to offenders, and if not death, some convicts had to endure harsh sentences. The sculpture, hence, is a visual artwork which helps people conceptualize injustices from the past. 

John Dann, Sir John A. Macdonald (1981)

Since 1982, the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald has stood undisturbed at the Victoria City hall. It was made by John Dann, a renowned artist. John A. Macdonald was Canada’s first prime minister. In the Canadian Confederation, Macdonald stood out as the most dominant politician whose career spanned more than half a century.[2] To Canadians, he is the country’s founding father and his humanity is what made Canada the country it is today. The statue, which is a visual art, reminds people about their origin and the dreams of their forefathers.  

J.Massey Rhind, Edward Cornwallis (1931)

Althoughthe statue of Edward Cornwallis is no longer in its former status following vandalism infiltrated with controversies, its images exist in many galleries around the world. The statue by J. Massey Rhind is of Edward Cornwallis, an infamous colonial time soldier and governor.[3] As a visual art, this sculpture reminds people of the dark history that forefathers had to go through under the hands of inhuman colonialists such as Cornwallis.

Pompeo Coppini, Jefferson Davis (1924)

The sculpture of Jefferson Davis was modeled by Pompeo Coppini, an Italian sculptor, and it has been standing for public viewing for almost one century. Davis was a prominent confederate politician from the south.[4] The stature reminds the Americans the sacrifice their forefathers had to make to realize their dreams of a great country.  

The Boys who wore gray (1924)

This statue has been standing at Durham, North Carolina, since 1924. It is a memorial to the American soldiers who fought during the American Civil War for their confederates.[5] To the Americans, this visual art brings the past memories of the great American men into the present. It reminds people why there is a need to appreciate America’s independence given the sacrifices of the forefathers.

Conclusion

As emphasized before, visual culture goes beyond the common seeing of objects. People see and internalize what they observe to produce a certain meaning. From the above discussion, it is evident that the statues are not only visual objects but also artworks which remind people of the past. This is what visual culture is about.    

Bibliography

Crescenzi, Nicole. “Sculptor of John A. Macdonald Statue Speaks out.” Victoria News. Last modified August 10, 2018. https://www.vicnews.com/news/sculptor-of-john-a-macdonald-statue-speaks-out/.

Graham, David A. “‘They Took Old Faithful Down. I Just Can’t Believe It.’.” The Atlantic. Last modified August 15, 2017. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/durhams-civil-war-monument-and-the-backlash-to-the-backlash/536889/.

Janovicek, Nancy. “What’s In a Monument? Part II: The Edward Cornwallis Monument and Reconciliation.” Active History. Last modified August 25, 2018. http://activehistory.ca/2018/08/whats-in-a-monument-part-ii-the-edward-cornwallis-monument-in-halifax/.

“”Matthew Baillie Begbie” on Revolvy.com.” Revolvy. Accessed August 13, 2019. https://www.revolvy.com/page/Matthew-Baillie-Begbie.

“Jefferson Davis Monument” Neworleanshistorical.org. Accessed August 13, 2019. https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/1278.

The Statues

1. Elek Imredy, Judge Begbie (1981).

• John Dann, Sir John A. Macdonald (1981).

• J.Massey Rhind, Edward Cornwallis (1931).

• Pompeo Coppini, Jefferson Davis (1924).

• The Boys who wore gray (1924).

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[1] “”Matthew Baillie Begbie” on Revolvy.com,” Revolvy, accessed August 13, 2019, https://www.revolvy.com/page/Matthew-Baillie-Begbie.

[2] Nicole Crescenzi, “Sculptor of John A. Macdonald Statue Speaks out,” Victoria News, last modified August 10, 2018, https://www.vicnews.com/news/sculptor-of-john-a-macdonald-statue-speaks-out/.

[3] Nancy Janovicek, “What’s In a Monument? Part II: The Edward Cornwallis Monument and Reconciliation,” Active History, last modified August 25, 2018, http://activehistory.ca/2018/08/whats-in-a-monument-part-ii-the-edward-cornwallis-monument-in-halifax/.

[4]” Jefferson Davis Monument” Neworleanshistorical.org., accessed August 13, 2019, https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/1278.

[5] David A. Graham, “‘They Took Old Faithful Down. I Just Can’t Believe It.’,” The Atlantic, last modified August 15, 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/durhams-civil-war-monument-and-the-backlash-to-the-backlash/536889/.