Melting Monuments: The Erasure of Cultural Heritage

When a people willingly act to destroy their own cultural narrative, the culture itself will no longer survive. The physical representations of the history of a land, a country and a people serve as the foundation of their culture. The objects themselves — monuments, sites, documents and memorials — provide a backdrop for the telling of that civilization, both the noble and the profane. To alter the past is to erode the lessons learned, limiting the generational transfer of experience and the benefits of hard won knowledge.

We will investigate the question of who has “edited” history and why. What causes factions to attack heritage and is the result justified? How will we know? Examples of the elimination of monuments and cultural history across the globe will be presented from ancient times to the present day.

Christine Maasdam holds a Master in Humanities and a B.A. in Cultural Geography. Her art studies include The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in D.C. and Post Graduate studies in Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime at the University of Glasgow. She is a graduate of the Art Crime Investigation Seminar led by Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI's National Art Crime Team. She is a member of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection and holds a certificate from Trident Manor on Protection of Cultural Venues. Maasdam received Sotheby’s certification on Determining Value: An Appraiser’s Perspective. She has spent over a decade as a LACMA docent and is an active volunteer at the City of David archaeological dig in Israel.  

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50+ years of age, seeking intellectual stimulation through university level courses (without the pressure of grades) for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Registration required.  

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Register by April 3 at 3 p.m.