Nocturnal Memorials

This paper will consider the progressive dematerializing of memorials, from the twentieth century until the present, through a discussion of what it terms “nocturnal memorials”—being memorial objects and events that entail a distinct aesthetic experience that only materialises at night. The paper, will consider some of the historic precedents for such projects, including early attempts to incorporate light components into memorial designs, before making a first attempt to chart the rise of this new memorial type.