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The c[eclrPG1i. \CI""llnn lhl: Ihe\is \\ iii he' prUlc'<.:ll'd a,~;ril1st dupli<.:lltiDl1, Thi\ opliul1 docs 1l01l!i\'dIIOI\ Ic",';Ij'l'ih'i\ :1\'111 111 ,"/\ i,:" 11l~ Ih:: \IUll iii L'itll<.:r h~lnlc(ll'~ or dii2il;1! r'lI'I11 , Signed (student author) Signature Rellloved Signcd(facultyadvisor) Signature Rellloved ~ /ytc~ ~"r"'~, I C Vvi'"J StJ-c ,j ;'10(;'11 Vl(r:-- Accepted for the Libraries S i gnatu re ReIIIoved Date accepted __--=)---C'l'-'-"r----=-O_{+-l_~ _ I Rejected Remembrance Commemorating the Contentious Memory of the Kent State Shootings Senior Thesis by Eve Streicker A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the Degree ofBachelor ofArts with Honors in Art History Elizabeth McGowan, Advisor WILLIAMS COLLEGE Williamstown, Massachusetts For the Kent State community. With Thanks to: Elizabeth McGowan and Stefanie Solum With Special Thanks: Lauren Bloch, C. Ondine Chavoya, Dr. Sondra Cooney, Denise Duquette, Mike Glier, Carol Ockman, Chuck Shafer, and Kathie and Paul Streicker 1 Introduction Eight years after the Ohio National Guard opened fire on protesting students at Kent State University, killing four, George Segal created his memorial Abraham th and Isaac (In Memory ofMay 4 , 1970, Kent State) (1978). Eight years after the shootings, those who witnessed and were a part ofthe tragedy were still experiencing the emotional shock ofthe event. Because Segal's memorial addressed the disputed social context ofthe event, Abraham and Isaac was met with apprehension by a community whose wounds had not yet healed. Segal's memorial was rejected by Kent State University. Instead, it is now installed on the Princeton University campus. The Kent State University administration formally rejected the memorial Abraham and Isaac in a unanimous decision on August 28, 1978. The President's office released the following statement: The Isaac figure appears to be a male between 20 and 30, unclothed except for athletic trunks... kneeling before Abraham in the posture of a supplicant, his hands bound before him. Abraham's right hand holds a knife. The inescapable first impression is that an older person is threatening to kill a younger person who is pleading for his life... It was thought inappropriate to commemorate the deaths offour and wounding of nine others... by a statue which appears to represent an act of violence about to be committed. l According to the statement, the rejection was based on the physical appearance of Segal's memorial-on the appearance of"violence about to be committed". The rejection, however, encompassed far more complicated issues than indicated in the brief official statement above. 1. Martin Friedman and Graham Beal, George Segal: Sculptures (Minneapolis, MN: Walker Art Center, 1978),84. 2 Surrounding the issues was the Vietnam War, which largely divided the American populace into supporters and protesters ofthe war. This division was reflected in the way that members ofthe Kent community attributed blame for the deaths ofthe four students. Something was needed to bridge the gap between those in Kent who supported the actions ofthe National Guard, and those who sympathized with the students involved. In response to the event, several memorials were created for the campus. Segal's memorial never had the opportunity to sit among them at Kent State. In creating a unique memorial, George Segal actively confronts the controversy surrounding the event. Abraham and Isaac invites a dialogue by using a well-known allegory as its subject matter. Instead of providing closure and putting the events of May 4th to rest, Segal's memorial is active, didactic, visually abrasive and controversial-just like the event. Even though the memorial was not accepted in 1978, and may never be by those who lived through the events, it still holds much value as an educational tool for future generations. Abraham and Isaac reminds us to keep an open dialogue with history so that tragedies are not repeated. Through examining the rejection of Segal's memorial, I will discuss the difficulty offinding a memorial that would appeal to all those involved in the conflict and contribute to the healing ofthe splintered community. I will explore methods of memorialization to illustrate how Segal's approach differs from others that exist on the campus today.