The spatial nexus of monuments, memorability and identity formation in Chatsworth and Durban Central, South Africa

Abstract

Abstract The monumentalization of public space has received significant scholarly attention both globally and locally. In the South African context, this interest has been further heightened by the #Rhodes Must Fall campaign in 2015, which raised questions about the relevance of colonial statues in the post-transformation era. This campaign sparked extensive debates regarding monumentalization within the country’s cultural landscape. Against this backdrop, the present empirical study aims to contribute to these discussions by examining the role of monuments, particularly their spatial characteristics, in shaping processes of memory and identity reconstruction within urban public spaces. The study employed cultural mapping techniques, including participatory GIS (PGIS) and semi-structured interviews, to generate data in the areas of Chatsworth and Durban Central. Additionally, the study draws upon Henri Lefebvre’s (1974) conceptualizations of monuments and Proshansky’s (1983) place-identity theory to explore the constitutive relationship between the spatiality of monuments and embodied memories in the production of spatial identities. The empirical findings of the study affirm monuments as sites for negotiating spatial identities, acknowledging the diversity and multiplicity of memories and identities that emerged. Furthermore, the study highlights the significance of the spatial context of monuments, including dimensions such as aesthetic appeal, geographic prominence, positionality, and discernibility, in influencing the symbolic value of monuments in memory-making and identity formation processes. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes the importance of reconfiguring the spatial context of monuments to ensure their efficacy in processes of memorialization and identity reconstruction.