Per una fenomenologia del monumento nell’età contemporanea

This article examines the contemporary crisis of public memorials and the role of art in redefining them. Drawing on recent critical literature, the paper explores how art can challenge traditional notions of monumentality, particularly those related to the difficult heritage, by promoting practices of resignification that engage with the past without erasing it. Furthermore, the article considers the struggle against monumental forms as part of a broader discourse on the infrastructures of fascist memory and colonial violence. Through the analysis of three recent publications - Nonumento by Andrea Pinotti (2023), Le statue giuste by Tomaso Montanari (2024) and Every Monument Will Fall by Dan Hicks (2025) -and key contemporary artworks, the essay highlights the search for new forms of public remembrance. It underscores the complex nature of memorialization and advocates for a paradigm shift toward a more inclusive and critical understanding of history.