All That Lies Within
Avijit Singh Saroya
Our memories are all that shapes us, it’s like the matter of duality, the one which represents a bridge between the past & the present and often the way to the future. Memories are like sweet tooth, it’ll make you ache if you think about it too much, but they are essential as they feel and are the belonging of our celestial presence in this world.
As we beckon a memory from the depths of our soul, the mind transforms into a celestial host, breathing life into the beautiful threads of thoughts that are woven amongst us. In this event everbody’s mind act as a host.
Throughout the journey of our life, our mind acts as the host of the different events that happens to us across a lifetime, a journey that’s from the begining to the end, all that we know, all that we live, is all because of the memories that are kept within us.
Throughout history, there have been numerous instances where people have discussed and perceived mind & memory differently. An Artist highly reconginzed for focusing on mind & memories is Christian Boltanski, a French conceptual artist wherein he often delves into themes like mortality, identity and collective memory. He incorporates varied data, like found photohgraphs, personal and archival artifacts into his installations to create immersive environments that encourage contemplation and remembrance and the passage of time.
The Colombian artist Doris Salcedo on the other hand produces impactful instllations that deleve into concepts of loss, trauma assosciated with memory. One of her notable works, “Shibboleth, ” showcased at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in 2007 featured a significant crack that spanned along the hall’s length, representing the lasting wounds of colonialism and oppression. The symbolism of which is to represent & evoke a memory of the scars that were left in societies around the world. An understanding that I started to gather was “Memory has different meanings for different people”
Memories comprises the varied processes through which our day to day information is encoded, store and retrieved by the human brain. It encapsulate a wide range of experiences, ranging from emotions, sensations, events and perceptions. They play an important role in shaping how our identities look like, and how we look at the world, and how our journies look like. A intriguing facet of memories lies in it’s subjective nature, affording the ability to carry diverse significance for different individuals.
As I stumbled upon various researches regarding the perception of mind & memories, I understood that how each had it’s own characterstic that is unique to it’s own. They are like the fragments of our past, intricately woven into the fabric of our minds. Each of which holds a special place in our hearts, carrying within it is a story, a feeling & moment that is frozen in time. The mind wherein is a vast and mysterious landscape, where each thought dance like the shadows in the night. It’s the hideout of our deepest beliefs & secretes and the navigator of our wildest dreams. Together, mind & memories construct who we are, and a tapestry of experience that define our existence.
Memories intertwine with emotions, narratives, and interpretations, just as sites hold myriad meanings that surpass their surface facades, much as the idea of infinity. Each site acts as a container for collective memory, holding remnants of the events, individuals, and cultures that have occupied its space across time. Similar to geological strata, these memories accumulate like layers of sediment, crafting a diverse tapestry of human encounters that unfurls through exploration and contemplation. Just as memories evoke feelings and provoke introspection, sites can ignite our imaginations and inspire reflection, encouraging us to delve into the depths of history and heritage. In this manner, sites symbolize tangible forms of memory, embodying the unity of past, present, and future, and reminding us of the enduring impact of our shared human journey.
There are many other artists have delved into themes of travel and memory in their creations, each presenting a unique viewpoint on the topic. For instance, Laurie Anderson’s multimedia performance “Landfall” weaves together music, spoken word, and visual elements to capture the essence of travel and dislocation following Hurricane Sandy. With her compelling narratives and atmospheric sounds, Anderson contemplates the profound impact of travel and its ability to alter our perceptions of home and identity. Connection between sensory experiences & memories “movement shapes our understanding of the world and our place within it”
The idea wherein lies in creating an environemnt that is distinctive, where identites from different background’s of life can find their shadow in. The memory gallery is like a spectator gallery with an Ode to the stories unknown. The dynamic installations wherein are an identity to evoke emotions, perspective in each. Memories are made to remember but what if we can’t remember any at all? As you walk through each installation, each crated to stir emotions and provoke new perspectives, you may find yourself in a whirlwind of memories, thoughts that are unique to each its own. Doris Salcedo, a Colombian sculptor known for her powerful installations addressing themes of violence and memory, once said, “Memory is the only thing you own. The only thing that cannot be taken away from you.”
The idea wherein is to give the user an END TO END experience, movement and a journey of memories as they trasnverse through the site.
Nestled deep in our memory, tucked away in the corners of our mind, lie the significant memories that have molded us into who we really are today. These memories are not vivid images like photographs or videos, but rather a blend of sensory encounters. The overpoweing scent of a crowd, the silence of someone gone, the stare that you’d remember, the acceptance that pulled you out of the dark.
As soon as someone enters the site, they are guided by their own reflections ~ Small, big & distorted. Through interacting with the the mirror installation, visitors transform from passive observers to active participants interacting in their self-reflection journey. This attempts to create a conversation between the individual & their subconscious, evolving as they take each step ahead.
memory of; introspection
memory of; senses
memory of; acceptance
memory of; belief
memory of; remembrance
memory of; dystopia/future
memory of; connection
memory of; love & loss
As visitors comes to the end of their journey in this exhibition, they are invited to experience a moment of introspection in the Reflective Depature space. Here lies the lingering fragrance of the dried blooms and the gentle glow of lighting, throught the glass blocks, here they encounter a convergence of past & present, memory & reflection. At the heart of this space lies the dried flower installation, and beyong it a solitary TV screen flickers to life casting the video of a fragmentation & distortion, and the existence of memory. As visitors pass through this space, they have the opprtunity to browse souvenirs, that offers a reminder of their journey through the exhibition. From art prints, to someone collecting their memory archive.
