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Memory System

Today I remember the faces of particular people on the street.  I've walked this street so many times.  Ten years from now, what will I remember?  Perhaps a composite memory will emerge from the multitude of experiences I have had in this place.

This video installation is a simulation of this hypothesized process.  A video stream is created by selecting random scenes from a set of videos which were shot on the street in question.  The video stream simulates the composite memory which may emerge in the future.  For the installation, the video is projected.  To the right is a sample of the video that the system creates.

This installation was created in response to some phenomenon I have observed in my own life:

  • Memories of a place may be triggered for recall when properties of that place are present in other places
  • Short term memories of a place are acute and detailed, whereas long term memories tend to be obtuse and have less details. What details are present in long term memories appear to be a random amalgamation of detail from an homogenous set of short term memories.

If you do not have flash, you may download the sample video from this link:

memory-system-output_h264.mp4


 

robertjd memory system