Commemoration and celebration

‘Commemoration and celebration’ have often been, and continue to be, the subjects for commissions for London’s public realm. There have been more monuments and memorials realised in the last ten years, than in the last fifty years, in central London. With the advent of the 2012 Olympic Games there is the desire to mark the occasion, its legacy and the changing identity of the places it is affecting.

Open House/Art in the Open undertook a public survey on the role of commemoration in London’s public spaces, during the Open House London Weekend event, 19–20 September, 2008. Over 300 completed surveys were collected from key locations at buildings taking part in the Weekend, chosen for their civic role and proximity to notable commemorative sites. The survey showed that the quality of our public realm and its civic role is important to us.

Details of Art in the Open's public survey on commemoration and celebration in London's public realm.