Background:

Throughout Europe, we celebrate, mourn or attempt to reconcile political, religious, industrial and cultural legacies. Issues such as war, terrorism, slavery, genocide, political and religious division, law and order, human rights, sovereignty and nationalism as well as industrial and cultural reinvention and of course the arts symbolise success or failure, power and authority, good or evil and sometimes extreme events some prefer to forget.

Mary Dejevsky (chief editorial writer for the Independent) recently wrote in the New Statesman (what can only be seen as the old Europe view) that, “The weight of historical baggage that new Europe brought with it was underestimated.. and remains largely unresolved.. nor shown much inclination to leave old grievances at the door. They seem to have forgotten the spirit of reconciliation”. It is within this context Europe expands and reinvents itself not always fully knowing how to cope with its old legacies never mind those of the new EU with their own historically bound religious and political beliefs, cultural and social aspirations.

"Joseph Beuys, once argued for the construction of a ‘Cathedral for Europe’. In the sense that all monuments act by dint of a mental leap – designation – this ‘Cathedral’ needn’t exist in a physical state, but rather as a collective projection and putting into practice of notions central to a vision of ‘Europe’: Freedom; Equality; Democracy.”..Kant wrote of “the possibility of the existence of a common language amongst all people – a ‘sensus communis’. This common language is inscribed in ancient standing stones, in monuments, Cathedrals, Temples, Synagogues, Mosques, state buildings, educational institutions, and so on.” *.

“MONUMENTS addresses the iconic, seeking to draw attention to the tendency for people everywhere to construct in stone, paint, steel, iron, glass, and even in binary code tributes to human endeavour whether in retrospect for good or evil. In doing this MONUMENTS aims towards a questioning of the parochial nature of the monument. Whereas most monuments are closed ciphers, supporting the superiority of one creed or nation over others, Terry Duffy's MONUMENTS paintings/installation draws attention to the shared humanity, the 'sensus communis’ . This is achieved by an appropriation of a given monumental building vis the restructuring of its physical space.” (*). 

Architecture and monuments signify history and legacy on both a local and international level and it is these aspects which resonate through broader relationships culturally, emotionally and psychologically. MONUMENTS questions their representation within the context of today’s new and diverse communities in Europe. Vision ascribed to the potential for social cohesion and commonality but to achieve this the conscious / subconscious issues of old and new Europe's extremely diverse and emotive legacies have to surface and be addressed. It is within this context that MONUMENTS is placed. MONUMENTS isn't critical or partisan neither is it utopian. MONUMENTS recognises humanities diversity and common capacity for extremes and it is within this potential that MONUMENTS is a catalyst to refocus, reconsider and respond to European / Global issues. MONUMENTS isn't utopian, it questions the notion of New Europe, whether diverse communities can cooperate and progress and challenges the institutions and the artists to realise their own stance and see it communicate within diversity.