Mission
Statement The purpose of this project is to honor and commemorate the deaths
of thousands of civilians killed since the commencement of "Operation
Iraqi Freedom" on March 19, 2003; to establish an Internet archive as
a living memorial that will serve as a repository of memorial concepts; to
mobilize an international community of artists to contribute proposals that
will represent a collective expression of memory, unity and peace; to encourage
the vigilance of contemporary memory in a time of war; to stimulate an understanding
of the consequences and costs of "the war on terror"; to support
the moral imperative of recognizing the deaths of Iraqi civilians; and to
create a context for the initiation of a process of symbolic, creative atonement.
Project Goals
Create and disseminate an open call for the submission of memorial
proposals from the international community of artists and designers.
Establish a commemorative repository of project proposals on the
Internet that is open, accessible and welcoming to a diversity of creative
concepts and practices.
Broadly engage and support works that function according to traditional
and expanded considerations of what constitutes a memorial.
Encourage proposals that range from the personal gesture to the monumental
concept, from the local to the global.
Commence a process of review by internationally recognized jurors
who will consider overall concept, design and the standards of traditional
and experimental contemporary arts practice towards recognizing excellence.
Encourage and cultivate public input towards further recognizing
proposals through the creation of an open rating system.
Initiate a process of open dialogue, debate and discussion surrounding
the issues of civilian casualties in Iraq, memorials and the role of
artists in a time of war.