artist book summary

I designed the book to demonstrate collective memory while exploring how prions contribute to memory recollection.  The book consists of a center image of a prion with nine panels branching out of the center.  The display of the prion image in the center with the panels branching out represents the idea of a central nervous system with dendrites branching out from the brain.  Each panel displays a different image representative of collective memory.  I selected images of collective memories such as Olympics opening ceremonies, graduations, birthdays, weddings, social traditions, and experiencing nature’s beauty.  I decided to focus on the celebratory aspect of collective memory with less of a focus on death and destruction.    

With each panel there is an accompanying folded version of the panel’s image.  The folded image encourages the viewer to think about how much of the original memory is lost while they try to unfold and shape the paper into a recognizable form.  How does memory change over time as we try to recall it?  How much is missing from the original memory? The panels display the most complete and whole version of the original image, however the original image has been altered by the size of the panels.  Therefore, there are no original images displayed.  The lack of original images demonstrates how often memory is altered as soon as we try to remember it.  There are varying degrees of alteration, with the original image cut to fit the panel and then the panel image cut and folded into a three dimensional object.

Prions, or infectious proteins, have been shown to play a role in long term memory. Prions infect other proteins by causing them to misfold.  The foldable images represent prions with the ability to be folded correctly or incorrectly by the viewer.  The viewer’s interactions with the “prion” will determine the correct or incorrect memory.

Capturing the Friedmans

I think one of the reasons why this documentary was so unsettling was because it did not have any definite answers.  We never find out whose version of the story is correct.  It was also upsetting because I believed that Jesse and the father were wrongly convicted and victims of the hysteria surrounding child abuse. I thought the father was guilty of some crimes but not what he was sentenced to prison for.  The complete failure of the criminal investigation and interrogation was frustrating.  It demonstrated the importance of research in the field of child memory and how impressionable they can be. It was striking to see the two scenes where one police officer described the correct method of child interrogation then another officer described the complete opposite method where the child must be led answer the questions.  Hopefully with a more accurate understanding of eyewitness testimonies less of these cases will occur and less lives will be ruined.

artist book progress

So I finished (mostly) a mock up of my book backbone as I call it. Each of the flaps will have a printed image on the inside with the folded image tucked in there some how (I am still figuring that part out).  The outside image is of a prion where each flap has a section of the image.  The unaltered image of the prion will be in the middle printed on the nonagon. I am thinking of putting the artist statement on the back of the nonagon. I will sew the flaps on to the main nonagon.  The flaps have to folded down in a specific order for the prion image to be correct.

splinters

I found these cool images where the artist distorts the original image by physically cutting and pasting images to alter their affect and appearance.  Although the artist's intent was not to imply memory themes, I can't help of thinking how these altered images could represent how memory changes. Either way these are both funny and creative.  http://www.hifructose.com/the-blog/993-lola-dupre.html