fractured memory
Traumatic experiences, which provoke one to relive feelings of embarrassment, guilt, doubt, loss, anxiety, and fear, are an integral part of the psychological struggle of human existence. However, children who have been sexually abused or raised in a domestically violent environment often find it difficult to articulate, yet alone comprehend, these resurfacing emotions. In turn, their past experiences can plague their adulthood in the form of visual, auditory, or physical triggers—even nightmares.
Fractured Memory discusses the relationship between reality and fiction in order to depict the struggle of childhood memory consolidation, alongside its post traumatic effects on growth into adulthood. These concepts are formally applied through the art of photo-compositing. Echoing the multifaceted nature of memory, each piece is made by superimposing visual elements from diverse sources in Photoshop—including 18th century art, social media, 1970’s horror films, fairy tales, children’s drawings, personal texts, and crime scene photography.
Appropriating and combining these images creates fantastical scenes with symbolic narrative, portraying escapism and entrapment through the lens of a modern collective subconscious. Pixilation and digital artifacts are included in the images to reveal their grounding in reality. In contrast, the gallery walls are defaced to replicate three-year old children’s drawings: the immediacy of these expressive marks evoke nostalgia and anxiety, whilst pushing the boundary of scale and imagination. Oscillating between evidence, fantasy, place, time, and dimensions, the goal is to displace the viewer as a means to provoke a deeper level of understanding into another's consciousness.
Fractured Memory bridges the gap between past and present imagery in order to spark a conversation and build a relationship with the viewer, the narrative, and the victim.
Exhibition Installation
