EVE BLAND 

The way in which our memory functions is: highly complex; susceptible to alteration; impermanent and incomplete. Rather than remembering a complete version of events, we piece together fragments; often resulting in an inaccurate recollection of the past as memories overlap and become subject to memory errors. Psychologist, Daniel Schacter suggests that these errors can be categorised into the following "seven sins": bias, suggestibility, misattribution, persistence, absentmindedness, transience and blocking. They explain the loss of, or temporary inability to access, memory over time; distortion of memories due to current knowledge and beliefs, leading questions or misinformation; and the mistaking of fantasy for reality (Schacter, 2016). Memory is an elaborate labyrinth, that needs solving. A puzzle. Described by it’s inventor, Ernő Rubik, as ‘surprising and deeply emotional, [with] an inherent element of problem-solving that brought with it complexity, difficulty and experiential value’ (Zeng, DX., Li, M., Wang, JJ. et al. 2018); the Rubik’s cube is arguably the perfect analogy for memory and a fundamental inspiration for this publication.

 

This two part publication comprises a limited edition series of twenty seven 8.5cm x 8.5cm x 8.5cm translucent cubes, printed with imagery of my paintings, alongside a magazine. Existing as a physical object, this publication transforms the intangible into something tangible.Through their sculptural form, the cubes reflect the structure of the traditional 3x3 Rubik’s cube; challenging the conventional artist book format, as well as defying the traditionally two-dimensional form a painting usually takes. Just as a book requires the turning of pages to reveal information, the cubes need to be rotated and rearranged in order for the underlying concepts to be realised. The viewer is invited to explore the countless possibilities regarding structure, sequencing and spacial arrangement of the cubes, which act as a visual metaphor for memory processes. The interactive nature of the publication draws upon the idea of puzzle solving, linked to the Rubik’s cube and the reconstructive nature of memory recollection; referred to by Psychologists Neil Smelser and Paul Baltes ‘as a form of pattern completion’ (2001, p.9617).

 

In effect, the cubes are an extension of my painting practice, facilitating the overlap of different strands of memory based research; the surfaces are constructed from acetate sheets printed with fragments of my abstract paintings, investigating the relationship between memory and the senses, specifically in response to the coastal landscape. The transparency of materials allows for multiple surfaces to be viewed at once, reflecting the process of ‘laying down each new memory creat[ing] distortions, which in turn will interfere with both the subsequent recollections of previous events and the laying down of future memories’ (Baxendale, 2014, p.27). As the cubes become stacked and arranged into various formations, layers of the paintings become faded and concealed, much like memory. The translucency also represents the ‘overlay of present and recalled’ information when we view something (Farr, 2012, p.23). When presented alongside my paintings, the cubes create an additional layer to the work, through which the viewer must look past to view the painting. The viewing experience created through this overlap of surfaces reflects the concept that our perception is subconsciously influenced by our memories: ‘we always see with memory’ (Coluga Pictures, 2017).

 

The accompanying magazine will exhibit alongside the cubes in a gallery setting, acting almost like a guide, in which potential arrangements of the piece are showcased alongside fragments of poetry, enhancing the intended metaphorical meaning.The magazine will also be available to print on demand, making the publication accessible to a wider audience, such as those who cannot see the cubes in person.

 

 

References

Baxendale, S. (2014) Coping With Memory Problems. London: Sheldon Press

Coluga Pictures (2017) David Hockney: A Bigger Picture. 12 July. Available at: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/116394 (Accessed: 29 October 2020).

Farr, I. (2012) Memory: Documents of Contemporary Art. London: Whitechapel Gallery; Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press

Schacter, D. (2016) ‘The Seven Sins of Memory', Psychology Today, 9 June. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/articles/200105/the-seven-sins-memory (Accessed: 24 November 2020)

Smelser, N. and Baltes, P. (2001) International Encyclopaedia of the Social & Behavioural Sciences. Oxford: Elsevier Science Ltd. Volume 14

Zeng, DX., Li, M., Wang, JJ. et al. (2018) 'Overview of Rubik’s Cube and Reflections on Its Application in Mechanism', Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 31(77)  doi: 10.1186/s10033-018-0269-7