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Algiers, Algeria - Landowskis Monument to the Dead of WW1
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Algiers, Algeria - Landowskis Monument to the Dead of WW1
Algiers, Algeria - Architects Maurice Gras and Edouard Monestes - Sculptors Paul Landowskis (with bas-reliefs on the base carved by Bigonet) - Monument of the Dead (of WW1). In the late 1970s, the mayor of Algiers appointed Mhamed Issiakhem, one of the founders of Algerias modern art movement, to hide this remnant of colonialism. Not wanting to remove or destroy the statue, the artist decided to enclose it in a sort of concrete sarcophagus. Date: circa 1930
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Media ID 18951621
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015
Algeria Algerian Algiers Architect Architects Concrete Dead Edouard Encased Gras Maurice Sarcophagus Sculptor Sculptors
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This evocative photograph captures Algiers, Algeria's Monument to the Dead of World War I, encased in a concrete sarcophagus designed by Algerian artist Mhamed Issiakhem in the late 1970s. The monument, located in the heart of the city, was created in the 1930s by architects Maurice Gras and Edouard Monestes, with sculptors Paul Landowski and Bigonet contributing bas-reliefs on the base. Originally, the monument was a remnant of Algeria's colonial past, a symbol of the French rule that once dominated the region. However, as Algeria moved towards independence and modernization, the monument became a source of controversy. In an effort to hide its colonial past, the mayor of Algiers appointed Issiakhem to find a solution. Rather than removing or destroying the statue, Issiakhem chose to encase it in concrete, preserving its historical significance while also symbolically burying its colonial past. The monument, which stands tall against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea, is a poignant reminder of the complex history of Algeria and the role that colonialism played in shaping its identity. The concrete sarcophagus, with its rough texture and imposing presence, serves as a powerful visual representation of the transformation that Algeria underwent in the late 20th century, as it moved towards independence and modernization.
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