Collection inventory

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Dark Elegy Collection

An inventory of the collection at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: Cara A. Howe
Date: 2012

Historical Note

Dark Elegy in front of Lyman Hall

Dark Elegy is a sculpture collection created by Suse Lowenstein (b. 1944), mother of Syracuse University student and victim of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, Alexander Lowenstein. It consists of 75 larger-than-life individual sculptures depicting women at the moment they learned their loved one had been killed in Pan Am Flight 103. The statues are typically arranged in a circular pattern about 65 feet in diameter but have also been rearranged for display at different temporary sites. The artist's goal is to donate the work for display in a public place where anyone may view it. The sculptures are currently located in the garden of the Lowenstein's Montauk property, available for public viewing.

Although Suse's personal tragedy arose from the bombing of Pan Am 103, she has dedicated Dark Elegy to all victims of terrorism. In her own words, "this sculpture needs no language, it is understood by all. It is not political in any partisan sense. It knows no borders. Today, people all over the world are affected by terrorism. Dark Elegy is a universal appeal for peace and dignity for all victims of senseless hate and vengeance called terrorism and will be a beacon for all peace-loving people. Dark Elegy stands as a reminder of that hatred."

Scope and Content Note

The Dark Elegy Collection contains six series relating to the exhibition of the statues on the campus of Syracuse University during the 1995-1996 academic year and the subsequent effort to find a permanent home for Dark Elegy.

Within the Audiovisual materials series is a DVD with an eight-minute video from Suse Lowenstein on Dark Elegy.

The Clippings series contains newspaper clippings from 1990 to 2008 about the creation and exhibition of Dark Elegy.

Internal Syracuse University correspondence as well as external communications with Suse Lowenstein and others can be found in the Correspondence series.

The Photographs series contains photographs of the exhibition of Dark Elegy on Syracuse University's campus during the 1995-1996 academic year.

Within the Printed material series are fliers, announcements, programs, and other visual materials about Dark Elegy exhibitions and the search for its permanent home.

The Subject files series has materials on various topics related to the exhibition of Dark Elegy. These topics include the opening and closing events for the 1995-1996 Syracuse University campus exhibition, lectures and speakers' notes, and the Syracuse University College of Law symposium on international terrorism.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

School, college and department records are restricted to the office of origin for 30 years. Requests to use restricted records must be obtained in writing from the office of origin.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Dark Elegy Collection. Related collections include:

Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection

Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection

Pan Am 103 College of Law Collection

Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers

Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection

Selected Search Terms

Names

Lowenstein, Suse.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Associated Titles

Dark Elegy.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of Material

Correspondence.
DVDs.
Fliers (printed matter)
Newspaper clippings.
Photographs.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Dark Elegy Collection,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Office of Undergraduate Studies in 1996 and the Office of Institutional Advancement in 2016.

Processing Information

Materials were placed in acid-free folders and archival boxes.

Arrangement

Materials are arranged alphabetically.

Table of Contents

Audiovisual materials

Clippings

Correspondence

Photographs

Printed material

Subject files

Inventory