artist book stuff

I am trying to create an interactive experience that will demonstrate the theme of collective memory while incorporating the idea of how prions contribute to effective memory.  I am planning on using collective/shared memories as my source of photos.  Each page of the book will have a picture that is not modified as well as a pouch of some sort that contains a folded version of the image.  The reader/viewer will be encouraged to unfold the image and try to see how the folding image relates to the unaltered image.  Can the image be recognized in its folded form? 
      My reasoning behind this is to demonstrated how memory changes as we remember it and we lose some details and fill them in with what we are currently experiencing.  The folded images will have pieces missing, so it will be as if the folded image represents a memory of the original image.  It is an experiment to see where different folds will lead the viewer to interpret the memory. 
    Prions are infectious proteins that can cause other proteins to become infected.  The process of changing a regular protein to a prion involves a misfolding of the protein.  Prions have been shown to play a role in long term memory.  Will you misfold and become infected?

Here are some works in progress.  I plan to make the folded images at a larger scale and am open to suggestions as to what kind of paper would work for folding and not ripping.  I am also planning on experimenting with various 3D shapes that the folding can create.  Maybe trying an image on both sides of the paper, making it harder to match the original image to the folded image (various degrees of memory loss), or varying the location of the folding outline printed on the image.

Saving History

Frances Densmore recording Blackfoot Chief singing a song (1916) 
This photo caught my eye because of the clashing of the two worlds.  On one side there is "modern" technology and the other a very traditionally dressed Native American.  The two sides of the image are joined by the gramophone projecting into the man's face.  This makes me wonder what he is singing and how she talked him into singing for her.  I love the idea of preserving history by recording stories and folk songs.  When memory fails you can always turn to sound to preserve memory.


I found this cool website of recorded folk music http://www.folkways.si.edu/index.aspx that was started in 1948.

Photo/Memory and Me

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about how I can apply what we have learned in this class to my major (Biology) is what Dr. Queen told us about multitasking and how none of us can do it effectively.  I remembered this when I was reading about community ecology this weekend, (no music was playing).  What also comes to mind is the fact that memory is fallible. So how am I supposed to remember what the island equilibrium model is? (I didn't, I had to look it up.)  Memory is not only fallible but it changes as we try to recollect it. "We reconstruct the past to fit our schematic expectations" (Lilienfeld, Lynn, Ruscio, & Beyerstein, 2010).  Our memories change to fit what is happening in the present, they are shaped by other memories and experiences.  With this concept in mind I realize why it is a good idea for scientists to accurately record their experimental findings.  Without detailed proof of the results, corrupted memory would have to be relied upon.  
       The excerpts from Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer benefited my studies of biology because it introduced the concept of how the brain regulates memory.  I had vague background knowledge of how the brain works but I had never learned the details of how memories can be recalled with prions and CPEB.  It also changed my perception of prions which I had associated with deadly degenerative brain diseases.  Neurology is an important field of study because if we can understand how the brain works we will be able to understand why memory is fallible.

Movie Memory

I was thinking about how memory is depicted in cinema.  In order to distinguish a recollection of memory from every other scene the film is usually somehow altered, made blurry, or shaky (aka flashbacks). I thought this was interesting because this method correlates to the idea that memory is fallible and changes when we try to recollect it.  Why can we accept that recollections in cinema can be altered but our own memories are not fallible?
http://www.phantomladyvintage.com analyzes the use of flashbacks in film noir.

Shared Beauty



Daphnia, water flea



Hydra http://www.isi.edu/robots/self_heal_html/index.htm



Diatom Frustule http://www.astrographics.com/GalleryPrintsIndex/GP2131.html

What is beauty and what form can it take?  Is there a common experience of beauty like a common experience of an event?  Or is beauty in the eye of the beholder and we all experience beauty in different ways?  When I think of a beautiful photo that many can relate to and share common experiences I bring up images of a river stream in the Smokey Mountains, the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls.  These are all scenes of majestic beauty with a natural backgroud.  These are cool and all but can there be a shared beauty experience on a smaller scale?

      I enjoy finding beauty in unexpected places.  We examined a hydra in biology lab a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed by its form and structure.  We spent an hour trying get it to eat a Daphnia (water flea), which is in itself a beautiful creature.  It looks almost birdlike with its "beak" and "wings" I love the light emanating out of it. Diatoms are cool too.  Do others find these images beautiful?

Pic of this Week

Once again its time for pic of the week because I can't think of anything else to blog about.



Ultraviolet Bath, Russia        http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/

This image caught my eye just because of its absurdity.  My first impression was, what are they doing to those kids!  Without the caption I would have been lost.  The children in Russia do not get enough UV light for production of Vitamin D because of the small amount of sunlight, so they get a treatment of UV light.  There are so many elements to this photo.  The UV machine looks out of place with the ornate rug.  I love the contrast of the begoggled children with a picture of a woman (with rosy cheeks) eating what looks like bread.  The UV light gives the entire room an unnatural glow.  I am also drawn to the person who is administrating the treatment.  He or she appears to be checking their watch to make sure they turn off the machine at the right time.