Final answer:
Artists make memorials to honor and remember individuals or events that hold significance in history or society. Memorials can raise awareness, support causes, provide healing, and preserve cultural and historical legacies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Artists make memorials for various reasons. One reason is to pay tribute to and remember individuals or events that hold significance in history or society. Memorials can serve as a way to honor and preserve the memory of those who have passed away or to commemorate important moments and milestones. For example, artists like Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz, and Robert Mapplethorpe created art that brought attention to the issue of AIDS and its impact on society. Their lasting work serves as a memorial and a means to raise awareness about the disease.
In addition, artists may create memorials to express their personal beliefs, advocate for causes they are passionate about, or contribute to ongoing research and initiatives related to a particular topic. For instance, Robert Mapplethorpe's creation of a foundation for the arts and ongoing research into AIDS shows how artists can use memorials to support and advance causes they care about.
Furthermore, memorials can provide healing and closure for communities and individuals. They can offer a space for reflection, remembrance, and collective mourning. Memorials may also serve as a way to educate future generations about significant events or people in history. By creating these commemorative works, artists contribute to preserving the cultural and historical legacy of our society.