Abstract

Calls for the removal of contested monuments and statues have become familiar, globally. Movements such as ‘Rhodes Must Fall’, decolonising universities in the UK and South Africa and campaigns against Confederate monuments in the USA have triggered cultural debate on public statuary with colonial associations. This leads to questions such as: how are the evolved meanings of monuments and statues mediated over time? How can memorials be reconfigured to reflect contemporary social and political values whilst preserving heritage? Is the answer iconoclasm? Can monuments be ‘decolonised’ whilst remaining in situ? And can architecture and design be used as a composite to interact, preserving monuments whilst providing contemporary interpretation? A composite approach combines past and present context and values, juxtaposing contemporary and historic artifacts.

How to Cite:

Crellin, A. & Kirkpatrick, M., (2022) “Contextualising Colston: a Case Study for the Reconfiguration of Contested Heritage through the Composite Medium of Historic and Contemporary Values”, field: 8(1), 187–194.