The Frailty of Memory

There comes a time when the function and frailty of memory becomes a preoccupation. Forgetfulness is perversely accompanied by an increased acuity of distant memories. Nostalgia becomes a way of life… a fleeting reflection… an ethereal glimpse of something familiar through the mind’s eye… fragments of memory like shards of mirror… a vision barely visible through the broken glass in the window of time.

 The digital projector is employed as a modern day Camera Obscura to explore Barthes notion of the ‘Punctum’ and the ‘Noeme’ (that-has-been). The projected image starts with a familiar image that could be carried in the wallet or reside in a well worn family album. The image is initially vivid, nostalgic – the ‘Punctum"’ – but with the passage of time, it decays, leaving an enduring memory – the ‘Noeme’ (that-has-been). This work considers one of the earliest attempts to explain visual memory, by considering the analogy of Plato's wax tablet, Freud's mystic writing pad and even the modern computer, all of which consider memory as layers.

This is a video taken of my graduation project. In a blacked out space the animation, Fading Memory as seen in my previous post, was projected on to a translucent screen made from tulle behind which was a further much darker version of the image an acrylic sheet so this was also semi translucent. When the animation starts the second image is virtually invisible (difficult to capture this in this video)  as the front image decays more light falls on the back image and as the viewers eyes adapt to the darkness the back image is slowly revealed. 

This installation which was part of my BA (Hons) Fine Art & Professional Practice final show, endeavours to portray the durability of the Photograph compared with the fragility of memory.

Fragments of Memory

It is the end of the penultimate semester and we have the first half of our Final Assessment so I have been burning the midnight oil finishing off my various projects and getting my sketchbook up-to-date.

Through both my dissertation and fine art practice work continues to explore the aesthetic aspects of decay, memory/remembering, nostalgia and melancholia. I am interested in exploring the ugly as compared to the beautiful using decay as the metaphor. I am endeavouring to explain my enquiry through the visualisation of the concept of perception and how this relates to memory and the emotions of nostalgia and melancholia.

I am considering the manner in which the eye converts visual information into memory, how the brain perceives this information and how this information is subsequently retrieved to form part of our emotional and aesthetic experience. My enquiry considers the modern science of neuro-physiology, neuro-aesthetics in the response to art and the aesthetic experience. The work employs a combination of video and still images arranged in multiple layers to create visual complexity challenging the perception of the viewer to recognise the familiar within the unfamiliar.

The following video is one of the 3 video works I have on display. The other 2 have to be viewed in-situ as they employ partly silvered mirror as the front element of the work, this makes videoing the work difficult.



Fragments of Memory

This video makes use of appropriated stills from Bill Morrison's film "Light is calling" and part of Michael Gordon's sound track. Morrison's film is based on "found footage" of decaying film. I have reworked the film incorporating into it my own images, mainly nostalgic family photographs. The video explores the notion of fragmented memory and the often confused narration associated with the effects of Alzheimers disease.

This work is for academic purposes only and recognises the original authors copyright no breach of which is intended.

Exhibition - Accidental Art

Accidental Art - Layers of History: An unusual exhibition of mixed media pieces. Inspired by fading signs, torn posters and decaying buildings found in the local area. The work is mainly large format and uses recycled materials such as corrugated cardboard from cartons, newspaper, household paints. The project was triggered by my interest in the ephemeral impermanence of Street Art and draws a parallel with our inclination to ignore the elderly and their contribution to our life and history.

For many years I have photographed fading signs, torn posters, cracked walls and peeling paint. These images have now been incorporated into my artwork. I am fascinated by the layers of history represented by the urban landscape. The changing architecture, peeling paint, typography, fading and peeling layers of paint, torn posters all serving to portraying the passage of time, reflecting a history of which many of us know little.

Ever since man made his marks on the walls of a cave he has left evidence of history all around us. The work in this exhibition is based on the remaking of mans marks on the urban landscape. Using an experimental printing process which echoes the feeling of deterioration, dilapidation and decay. Likewise use of recycled corrugated packing cases as the ground for artwork adds further to the feeling of impermanence.

The work is intended to provoke thought and ask questions about our history, reminding us how easy it is to pass by aspects of our everyday surroundings without even seeing them. The work could be seen as a metaphor for the way many of us view the older members of our community. Something decrepit and insignificant to be ignored and taken for granted. When we should be considering them as a valuable members of the community and a reflection of our history.

The exhibition will be at the Village Walks, Art SpOt, off Teanlowe Centre Car Park, Poulton-le-Fylde, from 22nd September to 31st October, Monday to Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, entrance free.

If you are interested in exhibiting at Art SpOts send a CV and proposal to Alistair Parker.

Van Project

As part of the Professional Practice module for the second year of my BA Fine Art course I will be using this van to promote the Art SpOt at Village Walks Poulton and hopefully my "Art in Empty Shops" project.

The van is shown decorated with a piece of street art by B.Toy one of my favourite street artists. This will shortly be replaced with my own work.

Sketchbooks Part 1

This semester we are looking at sketchbook compilation and construction. In this Video Norman Travers explains to the group three different styles of exemplar sketchbooks from past foundation students. The emphasis here is on drawing.



Here are some shots of pages from the scrap books to give you an clearer idea of the content. Click on the image to enlarge.




In the two pages above, this idea of breaking an image down into small sections and then redrawing, painting, recreating them was used as one of the exercises in the 2nd Drawing assignment. In this sketchbook the author used the work of artist Marlene Dumas as inspiration.








I acknowledge the copyright of the authors of the work shown, Norman Long, Catherine Mortimer and Ian Rothwell.

Art Links Galore

I came across this site DARE (Digital Art Resource for Education) whilst researching Space & Place for my first semester assignment. I have not looked at them all yet but there are some very useful links.