For project two my goal was to create a representational space that housed my bad memories. In this piece bad memories are specifically related to those that have caused trauma, fear, or loss. Memories provide our minds with the existence of the past; they help guide us through our decisions in the present. I wanted to create a physical space that I could go to access my memories. The space allows me to treat the memories as if they were objects that I could explore to gain understanding of the present. The memories serve as a reminder of the relevance of experience. The original proposal for the project involved a space where viewers could enter from underneath. When the viewer stood up he/she would be inside of a dimly lit box filled with objects that represent different bad memories. I became very hung up on the entrance of the box It seemed to intimate, too autobiographical. I felt as though my thoughts were being violated, as if the box was my body and giving people free access to it was mistreating the moments. Maybe scattering the objects that haunt me (and give me strength) within a space was too real for me, in the way that they are scattered in my head – I don’t want to give that much of myself – I wanted to stage the viewing experience.
I built a model stage as the place in which I could exhibit a memory. Theater is all about the illusion of reality. Providing a stage for my memories gave me full control of their presentation, similar to the role of the director. I made it look worn and old, somewhat forgotten but not desert – like the memory objects displayed. I decided to include objects from one memory instead of multiple; I chose a saucepan and entangled it with some hair. This piece hung just roughly a quarter inch from the platform below to instigate the feelings of tension. I chose to layer the exterior in boards and then cover it with wire in order to promote its inaccessibility for the viewer. By making the space seem quietly forbidden I am enticing people to look more closely, naturally when its something we aren’t supposed to touch or see we are more inclined to look. There is plenty of room to add detail in this sculpture. Hand crafted moments were very successful in this piece; many small choices I made had prominent effects. For example, not screwing the top right piece in all of the way directs the eye angularly to the moment at the top left where the front object hangs slightly off.
