WITCHES MEMORIAL
Location: World
Surface: Extendable
Program: Memorial
Status: Competition Shortlisted on Buildner
Year: 2023
Team: Anissa Le Scornet, Andrea Battistoni
This project is a tribute to the women whose rights and lives have been stolen, drawing a parallel between the witches of the past and the ongoing struggles faced by women today. In recent years, abortion rights have been rolled back in places like Poland and the US, with Roe v. Wade being overturned and restrictive laws enacted in many other countries. These changes have forced women into unsafe, illegal abortions, a tragic situation that mirrors the persecution of women throughout history. When safe abortion is threatened, ancient witches rise again, assisting women who are denied the choice of safe and legal procedures. This global-scale monument emerges where women’s reproductive rights are denied, symbolizing how, just as the witches of the past stood in defiance, we must rise to protect women’s rights now. The witches are not just a dark chapter of history—they are symbols of resilience, rebellion, and the enduring fight for women’s autonomy.
The memorial is built around a mirrored line, one that emerges where it is needed most, reflecting the state of society and how it continues to fail these women. The mirrored panels invite visitors to take one, each carrying the name, date of birth and death, and a brief description of a woman who has died as a result of an unsafe, illegal abortion in recent years. By taking a panel, visitors engage in an act of remembrance, ensuring that these women are not forgotten. The act of removal symbolizes the way these women are too often erased from history, but their struggles and spirits endure.
This red thread invites visitors to face their political responsibility: as they uncover the name and story of a victim of unsafe abortion, they make her memory last forever. Once a panel is taken, the back of the line reveals a red color, a stark reminder of the bloodshed, pain, and injustice faced by these women. This red thread serves as a call to action, urging us to acknowledge the ongoing dangers and to fight for the protection of women’s rights. It invites us to honor their memory and their fight for autonomy—an enduring legacy that continues to shape the way we must stand together in support of women’s rights everywhere.
