The Power of Physical Experience in Monuments

A monument's real power isn't just what it means, but what it physically does to you.

We're taught to ask what a text means, but we should really ask what it does.

Think about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Its reflective black granite pulls your

own image into the wall of names, making you a part of it. You're forced to

walk down into the earth, physically surrounded by the growing list. It directs your

body, your gaze, and your touch. This physical experience is the message.

It’s rhetoric that acts on your body, not just your mind.