Memory: A Visual Approach

Handmade paper by Suzanne Coley

When I was Director of an art program for artists with psychiatric disabilities I often visited them in psychiatric wards.  I remember during my visits from 2006 through 2011, how I increasingly became interested in how humans create and store memories. Recently, while working on The Beholder's Share show with Generous Company, I became obsessed with how brains create and store memories.

The more I learned and read, the more I wanted to create an external visual counterpart, if possible.

WORDS: I began by shredding a few of my old Greek philosophy books and a discarded novel.

What would I remember if . .  .

papermaking

I felt memories went through a delicate internal blender that somehow scrambled certain memories, like a Greek expression I used to know well when I was younger, but can no longer recall.  So, I put the shredded paper in a blender.

Handmade papers.

handmade paper

Details in the light.