«В этом здании жил и работал…»: мемориальные доски как образ исторической памяти
“In this building lived and worked…”: Commemorative plaques as a way of historical memory

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the problem of expansion of plaques as commemorative signs in Saint Petersburg. The culture of commemoration is an important component of memory studies, understood in the socio-cultural aspect and purposefully studied in the world science. Commemorative plaques as signs of deliberate perpetuation play the role of a message of Saint Petersburg and its dwellers of the past to present and future generations of citizens. The authors examine two functions of the impact of plaques on the viewer: historico-memorial and art-aesthetic. On the one hand, they become a visual cue of history through the content presented in them; carry out political functions, marking the socio-cultural space of the city. On the other hand, they have the emotional impact on a viewer due to its art features and the characteristics of expression. The authors trace the stages of the development of this group of monumental art in Saint Petersburg in terms of its aesthetics. As the signs of memory in an urban environment, commemorative plaques have a number of features. They are characterized by a large “democracy” as a means to maintain and develop the historical memory, as well as by more “delicate” entering into an urban environment. Finally, the relationship and interaction of signs of memory — commemorative plaques and designs of outdoor advertising in the social and cultural space of the city is becoming an increasingly important issue.

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