Air Force Memorial - disappointing

Discussion in 'Art & Architecture' started by DoctorD, May 26, 2010.

  1. DoctorD

    DoctorD Member+

    Sep 29, 2002
    MidAtlantic
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I just chaperoned a field trip to DC and saw a bunch of war monuments as well as Arlington Nat. Cemetery. The AF memorial was by far the worst.

    If you haven't seen it, the main element is three curved soaring metal structures that are visible from all along the Potomac. These are odd, but you can get the point.

    The most distasteful part of the monument, though, are the engraved black marble slabs that surround the monument. Most of the quotes have little to do with the sacrifices made by the airmen. Instead, we get to read jingoistic proclamations of the need for air power and defeating the enemy. And the sponsorship of the memorial by Lockheed-Martin and Boeing gets prominent position.

    Our Air Force must be extremely insecure to emphasize these sentiments. The contrast between the emotionally moving black marble of the Vietnam memorial and the belligerent marble of the Air Force memorial is striking and to the detriment of the USAF.
     
  2. Matt in the Hat

    Matt in the Hat Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 21, 2002
    Brooklyn
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's lit really well
     
  3. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They are.
     
  4. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    this is the worst part. brand-naming a stadium is bad. brand-naming a monument is obscene.

    the monument itself doesn't seem bad; in the pictures i looked at it catches light both artificial and natural very well. i certainly hope they keep the artificial light to a minimum because it interacts with the sky very well.
     
  5. Mullet&Talon

    Mullet&Talon New Member

    Jul 20, 2007
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This was a case of whoever paid for the monument got to name it.
     
  6. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Yeah, well the Air Force has always had an inferiority complex to the Marine Corps Memorial and it was a case of putting up anything anywhere near Rosslyn. That it can be seen across the Potomac was a plus...
     
  7. Iceblink

    Iceblink Member

    Oct 11, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Ipswich Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't know why this got bumped... but I'd never seen that memorial.

    The truth is, to me it looks like it should have been a NASA memorial to the Challenger or something. The near-vertical arcs look more like a shuttle takeoff path than an Air Force jet.

    From some angles it looks like Wolverine is clawing his way from underground.
     
  8. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Haven't been to see it yet in person, but you did make me google it to see what it was all about- all the pics only seem to concentrate on this element of it.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    it does have a certain, well... symmetry. but they're going to have a helluva time making the lego version we're all waiting for.
     
  10. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Despite having been to DC several times, I've never seen it in person. From the photographs, I quite like it as a piece of modern art (at least the three vertical elements.) The corporate sponsorship? Not so much.
     
  11. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    In person the Memorial is so unremarkable that it's just sad (I was in the Air Force). So much more fun/interesting stuff to do than go see this memorial. El-capitano's pic is a good enough proxy.
     
    el-capitano repped this.
  12. guignol

    guignol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 28, 2005
    mermoz-les-boss
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    it makes damien hirst look like art. it makes most midas muffler shops look like art!
     

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