The Double Act of Flower-Time

“This paradox of memory is a negotiation between having to remember, the obligation to
mourn, the uncertainty of moments and conditions of its activation, the inability to recall, and
the slow grinding requirement to forget and move on.“

This essay reflects on the complex relationship between memory, war, and public art. Drawing upon historical events and personal narratives, it examines how acts of commemoration and remembrance are shaped by both collective and individual experiences. The text delves into the ephemeral nature of memory, questioning how societies remember and honour the past through art in shared spaces.

Text by Raqs, published in ‘Routledge Companion to Art in the Public Realm’, Edited by Cameron Cartiere and Leon Tan, 2021