Rodin sculpts six despondent figures in varying postures of existential angst. They are unlikely images of heroes remembered in the historical imagination of the French nation: six leading citizens of the besieged city of Calais being led to their imminent death in the bloody hands of the marauding English, their own hands expressing the pain of their impending sacrifice. They were to be sacrificed in exchange for the lives of the people of Calais, at the northeast edge of the nation, which was ordered by the king to hold out at all costs. This is France remembering the distant past of 1347 to deal with the suffering of the present by honoring the sacrifice of the young in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). But Rodin's sculpting raises controversies, for the despondent humanity of the figures calls the sacrifice and heroism, and thus unquestioning nationalism of the sentimental kind, into question. Citizens are hence called to debate the very constitution of the nation, and paradoxically the nation is strengthened by the baring and searching for the nation's soul. The Burghers of Calais become a national monument. Significantly, a replica stands in London: French and English now less defined by each other but by a common humanity.
The People's Association blows up three resplendent figures in the singular posture of effervescent joy. They are typical images of races remembered in the biological imagination of the Singaporean nation: three representative citizens of the heartland town of Punggol being led to their artificial life in the sweaty hands of the parading grassroots volunteers, their own hands expressing the work of their stupendous exposure. They were to be exposed in exchange for the minds of the people of Punggol, at the northeast edge of the nation, which was ordered by the state to celebrate racial harmony day at good costs. This is Singapore remembering colonial racisms to deal with the reality of the present by racializing the historical cause of the Riots (1964). But the PA's sculpting raises chuckles, for the ethnic artificiality of the figures calls the representation of the people, and thus unquestioning multiculturalism of the narrow racial kind, into question. Citizens hence have a chance to debate the very constitution of the nation, but predictably the nation is distracted by the carnivalesque search for food and entertainment. The CMIOs of Punggol become a heartland monument. Significantly, they failed to blow up the blonde-haired Other: we are thus left with three and each other.
