Excerpt: PANDEMIC MEMORIAL – The Crucifix and the Void is an architectural project designed by The Red Studio in USA. They draw their inspiration for the memorial from the suprematist diagrams, sketches and paintings of Russian Constructivist Artist Malevich particularly the non-objective series wherein he explores the superimposition of the crucifix with the circle.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Our proposal for the memorial is inspired by the morphology of formation of natural craters on the surface of the earth. We strongly feel that a crater is an apt analogy for the current pandemic situation which has left a gaping open wound with casualties still expected to rise significantly in time to come. We have been strongly inspired by the stark geometrical constructions of the Russian Constructivist artists such as Malevich and El Lissitzky especially the cruciform series explored by Malevich.
Subsequently this led to an evolution of a diagram whereby we attempted to superimpose the cruciform construct onto the landscape of the crater. Our language of expression has been intentionally kept muted and the play in composition is carried out with minimal architectural elements and spaces in order to bring to the fore the raw power and magnificence of the imagery which captures the ethos of one’s journey through the pandemic crisis.
Visitors are confronted with two distinct options of journeys as the approach the memorial site. One of them leads them to the centre of the crater directly thru a tube submerged into the ground and the other is thru a floating tubular structure suspended above the crater at cross junction to another tube below.
One is able to transition from one tube to another thru a vertical cylindrical ambulatory which also acts as a structural support besides providing a strong anchorage to the composition. Our focus through this proposal has been to help evoke and provide an outlet for visitors to let go of their repressed emotions and make peace with their loss and mourning.
INSPIRATION AND SITE:
We draw our inspiration for the memorial from the suprematist diagrams, sketches and paintings of Russian Constructivist Artist Malevich particularly the non-objective series wherein he explores the superimposition of the crucifix with the circle.
SUPERIMPOSITION OF CRUCIFIX
Drawing further references from the Malevich series we initiated several alternative strategies to appropriate the act of super positioning the crucifix with the land form of the crater.
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