Throughout the last unit, I explored the role of liminal spaces between memory, place, and photography. I was interested in the contamination and alteration of memory and how I could express that tangibly. My research combined concepts of perception, identity, transition, domestic spaces, and image-making – through personal experiences and the concept of home.
Towards the end, I questioned- for photography to truly serve the cause of memory, does it need to transcend the merely visual and engage other senses? And do I need to investigate the impact of multiple senses and other people’s memories for my memory to be truly contaminated?
Initial Enquiries:
This past week, I have narrowed down to a couple of enquiries:
– How can we engage our sense of hearing through photography to experience the concept of identity and memories of home?
– How can I investigate the impact of sounds on the contamination and alteration of a photographic memory?
Experiments:
I conducted a memory experiment where I sent one of my photographs to a selection of people and asked them to send me a recording narrating a memory it sparked. Next, I sent them the same image but this time paired with a sound. Then, keeping both elements in mind, I asked them to send me another recording narrating a memory it reminded them of.
I wanted to see the impact the sound made on the photographic memory and how the audience’s perception of the image and the memory it sparked changed. It was intriguing to notice the differences between each person’s responses and their responses with and without the sound.
