Final Project: Memory of Memory
My final project, tentatively called Memory of Memory, is an exploration of memory through the filter of our own subjective memory. I will present specific memories from my own life in the form of video and still image. In both mediums, I recreate the memory by acting as each of the people involved. In this way, I gain empathy towards and insight into that person’s actions and also portray that filter of memory. That is, when I recall a memory from my past to you, the memory will inevitably pass through the filter of me.
With these images, both moving and still, I will attempt to recreate an experience of remembering for the audience member. The effect of the the videos and images is already alienating–the colors are manipulated to appear unnatural and the face, my face, is recognizable, but only to a degree. When viewing the images, the audience member is instantly aware of entering into someone else’s world. In addition, the videos will be playing in high-speed.
This choice serves two purposes. One, it will draw attention–it looks weird and begs to be considered further. Second, that moment of curiosity mimics one’s own curiosity of memory. There is that instance when, for whatever reason, a memory pops into your head. From there, you have to work hard to think about it–it’s moving around very quickly, it’s unclear, it’s blurry. Once you begin thinking about it, thought, it’s almost as if the memory consumes you. To mirror this experience, the longer the audience member stands in front of the video, the slower the video will play until the facial actions become almost unrecognizable.
As for the still images, the display will be large enough so that wherever on the image the person is looking, the image will appear blurry. This effect is to say that despite the effort that may go into remembering, there is no way to recreate the event or even to remember it in any objective way.
Ideally, the audience member will allow herself to be taken on this memory ride. She will be confronted with these arcs of memory–slowing down and blurriedness–and, in turn, be able to connect a memory of her own with the images. While the videos and still images I create are based on very specific moments, they are decontextualized enough to serve as archetypes of a family. Experiencing someone else’s memories in this way allows for the audience member to think of her own memories in a new light.
The most challenging part of this project is the display. The images need to be big enough to take effect and space at ITP is limited. I think my presentation for next week will be as a rear projection on a curtain. Each image needs to be separated and I’d like to have frames around each one. The frames will also house a camera to be used in the still image–the videos will employ foot switches.
I will shoot and Photoshop the still images this weekend (4/11) and have the code ready by then. The videos and their code I will use from my midterm presentation, though I’ve decided to delete the first part of each video wherein I acted according to my family’s own memories. I think it confuses the issues at hand and will be more effective as one take. I hope to install the initial setup by 4/13.
