A consideration of the memorialization of tragedy.

Rather than dwelling on irrevocable trauma and loss, let there be arranged an intervention at a place of conflict that “remembers the loss and uses it as inspiration for something that proves the victory of life over defeat;” a constructive act in response to destruction. Allow no recognition of the individual: no metaphorical representation nor list of names; nothing that defines the ‘person’ as a ‘victim.’ Thus, the memorial avoids the standard, instead focusing on healing at a larger scale: reconstruction of society and self, a productive response which speaks for itself of the magnitude of the event.

The proposal is on Utøya Island, Norway. The intervention is a sequence of sensory chambers set below ground at the heart of Utøya. The intention of the project is to provoke an “examination of conscience” of self and society, to foster contemplation and healing, and to restore order where chaos has left an indelible mark.