The popularity of Memory Studies has increased exponentially since the 1990s, with artists playing a significant role within this field of research. Rather than focussing solely on how artists engage with memory and history, this discussion seeks to question the relevance or impertinence of the proliferation of monuments, anti-monuments and memorials. These structures often raise questions about whether monuments truly serve to preserve memory or instead contribute to forgetting, petrifying the past whilst simultaneously reinforcing nationalist identities. The controversial example of the Berlin memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe, the result of a public competition that dismissed more dynamic and participatory proposals, exemplifies the failures of modern memorial design. This prompts reflection on the work of certain artists who, over decades, have redefined the concept of the monument—shifting its focus from celebrating a glorified past to confronting the memory of viciousness. In this context, the emergence of popular memorials, developed independently of state intervention and often in opposition to well-meaning yet problematic ‘democratic memory’ policies, offers a critical space for rethinking the function and significance of commemoration in contemporary society.