The spontaneous formation of memorial space. The case of Kikar Rabin, Tel Aviv

Spontaneously constructed memorials figure in the geography of contemporary popular culture as an authentic articulation of public sentiments. This article examines the spontaneous ritual construction of Tel Aviv city square as a memorial space in the wake of the assassination there of Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on 4 November 1995. After a general discussion of memorial spaces, the article proceeds to provide a contextual framework which includes a discussion of relevant aspects of Israeli memory culture, the urban history of the square and the prominent features of the public response to Rabin's assassination. The main part of the article elaborates on the cultural dynamics of the array of uncoordinated and unregulated ritual activities that effected the spontaneous transformation of the square into a shrine of mourning and remembrance.