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Consumerism and Monumentality
2005.11.30 20:42
monumentality
1. of, resembling, or serving as a monument.
2. impressively large, sturdy, and enduring.
3. of outstanding significance.
4. astounding.
consumerism
1. the movement seeking to protect and inform consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and advertising, product guarantees, and improved safety standards.
2. the theory that a progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial.
3. attachment to materialistic values or possessions.
Monumentality is not necessarily "ultimate consumerism."
In a free market society anything, including monumentality, is capable of becoming a commodity. There is no question, however, that monumental architecture generally costs a lot, and that's why in past centuries it was emperors and kings that could afford monumental architecture, they were the one's with most of the money. The "church" also had/has a lot of money. You could say that monumental architecture is the end result of a transference of capital, but not "ultimate consumerism" because of monumental architecture's endurance factor.
Here are two funny little designs that play with monumentality.
If a product is consumed, doesn't that mean that it isn't there anymore? And, can you name the "so many successful ambiguous monuments?"
Maybe what you're really thinking about is disposable monumentality, which is kind of like reenacting "less is more."
And speaking of void, I have to now go watch Lost.
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