The Arch of Titus and the Vietnam Memorial by Maya Lins serve as a public space for their respective cultures. Their use of artistic elements such as size, shape, and location serve to identify and promote emotional realities, such as sacrifice, gloom, and pride/accomplishment. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The Vietnam War, along with the Jewish-Roman Wars, took a heavy toll on both civilizations. The Arch of Titus and the Vietnam Memorial use their size to depict some of the deep emotions present in both pieces. The Arch of Titus is over forty feet high while the Memorial, at its deepest point, is over 30 feet deep. The Ark seems to retain an aura of pride/accomplishment and a desire to remember Rome's exploits, while the Memorial is more of a cutoff, represented as something that burned America. The Arch of Titus was also located in the heart of Rome, emphasizing its importance, while the memorial exists in a space that points to the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, seemingly pointing to brighter moments in American history . The materials used in the construction of these pieces also emphasize the emotional meanings they are meant to convey. The Arch of Titus is built using a form of white marble called Pentelic marble, unlike this, the Vietnam Memorial is made of polished black granite. The text dictates that polished stone is used to evoke emotional feelings in the viewer, particularly those that identify the audience with the feeling of being there. However, artistic works wish to honor the experience and remember the events. Form and content also play an important role in the emotional feelings these spaces convey. As I said before, the Arch of Titus extends from the ground and seems to evoke feelings of pride and accomplishment, while the Vietnam Memorial sinks into the ground and leaves the audience with darker feelings . The content of these spaces also solidifies these feelings. On the Arch of Titus, Titus is shown successfully in the Jewish-Roman campaign, reaching a climax where Titus is shown sacking the city of Jerusalem. The Ark was made to commemorate the achievement of the deceased Emperor Titus (now god) and maintain Roman pride in the Jewish-Roman Wars. The Vietnam Memorial stands in direct contrast to this situation. The Vietnam Memorial contains thousands of names of people who died or went MIA during the war. Thus, the piece cannot evoke the same feelings as the Arch of Titus due to the context of the Memorial itself. The Memorial was designed to reflect in a somber way the events and sacrifices that took place during the Vietnam War and the simplicity of the names/contents that appear on this wall makes the emotional themes of somberness easy to understand. Although the Vietnam War Memorial displays somber feelings, it also displays feelings of hope through the public. When the audience views the artwork, they also see themselves reflected in the artwork. Not only does it help the audience relate to the people who sacrificed during the Vietnam War, but it also shows the future and hope represented by the audience. Thus, the Vietnam Memorial also contains uplifting themes and deepens the public's visual experience. Overall, both pieces use artistic elements to deepen the visual experience of their audiences.