Critical Essay on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Artwork

Introduction

The artwork I like is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. it consists of two walls made of polished granite each measuring 101 2469. They fall 10 feet below grade and meet to for a V-shape at an angle of 130 degrees. One end point towards the Washington Monument while the other points to the Lincoln Memorial. The artwork I don't like is The Dwelling by Yong Soon Min. it features a white sheer dress hanged from a hanger. There is an open book above the dress and a stack of white books below it.

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The wall list the names of more than 58,000 soldiers who lost their lives during the Vietnam War or are reported missing. Designed by Maya Lin and completed in 1982, the artwork is a unique deviation from the traditional design of memorials that is characterized by realistic forms. Lin's design was in a sharp contrast with all other memorials in the city. She did not intend to make a statement redeeming the war. Rather, the design was meant to honor all those who sacrificed their lives as well as to symbolize reconciliation and national unity. Considering that the war was quite unpopular among Americans, the memorial was a reflection of those sentiments. It highlights the fact that both anti-war demonstrators and former soldiers lost relatives and friends, and offers people a chance to reflect and respond.

When Lin's design was given the go-ahead, it generated a lot of controversy. Those who supported the US military's role in the war criticized the work of art because it did not include heroic figures or other symbols of sacrifice and honor. As an Asian American whose parents hailed from china, Lin's ethnicity also stirred some criticism and was quoted as a reason to disqualify her. All in all, the project weathered the intense criticism, with the work getting unveiled in 1982 on Veteran's Day. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is now hailed as major milestone in twentieth century. Dwelling

By hanging a translucent kind of traditional Korean dress called hanbok over a burning western book, Dwelling brings together concepts of struggle and heritage with new ideas. Min, an American artist of Korean origin, highlights her sense of a divided self. Born when the Korean War was about to end, she came to America at the age of seven. Hence, although she was brought up mainly in the US, it was not her native residence. Yet, when she travels back to Korea, she still feels like a stranger in her native land as well. Thus, the work of art expresses distance and absence.

Min inserted personal mementos in a customary Korean dress and then hung it above a bunch of photos, books, and maps. In it is script written by a Korean poet that voices a loss of identity. The work could be described as a collection of objects made into an artwork. The seemingly empty dress appears to await a Korean woman who never gets a chance to wear it. Such a sense of divided nationality is quite common among Americans with foreign origins.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial artwork because it speaks a lot about the lengths some will do to fight for a country's freedoms. I have personally visited the memorial artwork back in 2003. When it gets wet, the names disappear; something that I think is neat to observe with my own eyes.