#philosophyofmemory

2025-06-10

Latest post from The Memory Palace

Nostalgia and Grief - in which I learnt that 'the term “nostalgia” derives from “nostos” meaning (return to the homeland) compounded with “algos” meaning suffering or grief'

Johannes Hofer, who coined the term in 1934, described nostalgia as “the grief for the lost charm of the Native Land”

#nostalgia #grief #memory #philosophy #PhilosophyOfMemory

thememorypalacephil.substack.c

2025-04-25

A very tender, thoughtful article, superficially about photography, but mostly about memory, grief and our relationship with time.

Perhaps seeing photography not as capturing the present, but creating the past.

thegeorgiareview.com/posts/pol

CW for Covid-19 and pandemic related content.
By Mike Scalise.

#photography #polaroid #sx70 #memory #PhilosophyOfMemory #philosophy #GeorgiaReview #MikeScalise #covid #grief

2025-03-27

I'm enjoying the regular articles on The Memory Palace, written by academics in Philosophy of Memory.

The latest discusses whether memory is a 'natural kind' or 'social kind'.

That is, is memory based solely on neurology and other biological systems?

Or is memory something that exists in the context of social structures, like love or gender?

thememorypalacephil.substack.c

#memory #PhilosophyOfMemory #philosophy #MemoryPalace

2025-03-19

Some more cyanotypes from the last few days. It's not been sunny, but enough UV light gets through the clouds to drive the reaction.

Having said that, some of these exposures run into days...

#cyanotype
#blueprint
#origami
#metamorphogram
#memory
#PhilosophyOfMemory #reeds #waves #longexposure #abstract #cameraless #cameralessPhotography

A cyanotype which looks like an explosion of shards of light in a blue darkness. It is random sharp shapes, lots of triangles, lots of overlaps. The central area is whiter / lighter, with deeper blue pieces more abundant towards the edgesThis was the origami 'waves' model by Engel, folded from cyanotype coated rice paper. It has a lot of layers, so the top layer gets darkest blue, and by the fourth layer the paper is white. But because of the complexity of the folding, the image is an abstract composition, perhaps 60% white with random areas of random shaped blue all over. The crease lines are also visibleA small cyanotype, about 10 x 6 cm in real life. It used leaves of a water reed as the subject. There are 4 sections of reed, three of which extend past the edge of the image. Those at left and right show blue lines of detail of the veins of the leaves. Second left is essentially a white stripe. The final leaf only extends halfway, is white, and looks like a slightly curving horn. The background is almost a denim blue with a slight green tintCyanotype of 7 reed leaves arranged in a naturalistic fashion. They are predominantly white against a green-brown background with also shows hints of blue. The leaves and arrangement could remind you of horns, long crab claws, swords...
2025-03-18

I have been back making cyanotypes.

Each of of these cyanotypes is a literal memory (as defined by my first philosophy of memory publication!).

Artist life has been hard lately. No change there, really, but it helps to make things.

#cyanotype #blueprint #origami #metamorphogram #memory #PhilosophyOfMemory #orizuru

A piece of white paper which shows creases from being folded into an origami form - in this case a 'square dance kusudama' - and exposed as a cyanotype. This means it has blue geometric patterns all over it - a central diamond, two layers of diagonal lines around that, then a ring of blocks, and triangles at the cornersA piece of white paper which shows creases from being folded into an origami form - in this case a random crushed form focused on the centre - and exposed as a cyanotype. This means it has blue all over it with random white areas.  Looks a bit like a white ice shard explosion on a blue backgroundA piece of white paper which shows creases from being folded into an origami form - in this case a 'crane / orizuru' - and exposed as a cyanotype. This means it has blue geometric patterns all over it - what part of the paper was the head of the crane is top left, wings top right, bottom left, and tail. In the centre is a blurred blue x shapeA piece of white paper which shows creases from being folded into an origami form - in this case a partially completed complex model of a sun - and exposed as a cyanotype. This means it has blue geometric patterns all over it - a central white diamond extends to the centre of all sides, the four large corners are mostly blue in odd triangles with white areas shaped like random stars
2025-02-04

An example of how institutionally-curated memories can create a perfect, yet completely fake, cultural identity for an entire nation.

Really thought-provoking.

theguardian.com/news/2025/jan/

#philosophy #PhilosophyOfMemory #CulturalIdentity #Memory #CulturalMemory #Fascism #Israel #Nazi #Germany #TheGuardian

2024-12-11

Philosophy of Memory resources...

The Memory Palace - a blog of current themes in PhilMem

thememorypalacephil.substack.c

and

PhilMemBib - searchable bibliography of PhilMem papers with simple download links wherever available

phil-mem.org/philmembib.html

Also PhilPapers for general philosophy searches. Shocking how many papers are NOT Open Access, but a quick email to the corresponding author works every time.

philpapers.org/

#PhilosophyOfMemory #philosophy #OpenAccess #Memory

2024-04-23
2024-02-20

A Cyanotype: from prepared exposure to final image. An experiment for the Jetsam series.

1st - exposure of layers of plastic on top of cyanotype paper in a contact frame. Exposed for about 6 hours.

2nd - post-exposure / pre-development. The crucial step! Judging when to stop exposure is the hardest thing to learn

3rd - post-development 'final' image. Texture and structure as hoped!

#cyanotype
#blueprint
#jetsam
#memory
#philosophy
#philosophyofmemory
#composite
#sunprint
#oceanplastic
#porto

2024-02-17

A first experiment with Jetsam.

This is using lots of fragments of plastic matter of all kinds, but essentially 2D.

I am layering up to 5 or 6 pieces, as I want to develop texture.

The idea is that these fragments of memories come together to create a new composite memory. Perhaps in the way a socially-shared memory differs from the way any single individual might remember it.

#cyanotype #blueprint #jetsam #memory #philosophy #philosophyofmemory #composite #sunprint #oceanplastic #porto

A large contact printing frame - wooden, with glass - containing pieces of plastic jetsam found on Matosinhos beach, Porto. They are layered randomly, almost totally covering a piece of cyanotype-coated paper. It is ready for exposure in the sun.The cyanotype image resulting from the layers of plastic. It is an abstract, highly textured image in shades from a very deep indigo, through many blues to areas of pure white. Almost no identifiable original forms remain.
2024-02-14

Starting a new series - JETSAM

It's about memory; specifically, the things we use to help us remember, and the ways in which we forget.

I have been searching the shoreline for jetsam.

Some treasures will become evocative objects.

Others are fragments of memories.

The first step has been collection...

#jetsam #memory #forget #forgetting #remembrance #seashore #scavengerhunt #treasure #philosophy #philosophyofmemory #evocativeobjects

A collection of objects found on the seashore as jetsam. They are arranged tidily on a white background. They include:
A pink whistle
A dolls hand
An old knife
A lego brick
A plastic toy horse
Bones from a seabird's foot
An old lighter
A plastic ring
Fake flowers
A toy car with no wheels
A kid's goalkeeper gloveA collection of objects found on the seashore as jetsam. They are arranged tidily on a white background. They include:
A plastic bottle
Feathers and bone
Random pieces of translucent plastic
Part of a ruler
Unravelled string
A plastic strawA collection of objects found on the seashore as jetsam. They are arranged tidily on a white background. They include:
Wood with holes in it
Various plastic fragments
A small light bulb
Feather
Dried seaweed
Sea glass
A small bit of carpetAn object found on the seashore as jetsam, arranged tidily on a white background.
It appears to be a feathery clump attached to some organic material like the roots of a plant
2024-01-18

Been triggered by a post at the ambientehotel wp.me/pgxF5-4I5

Saudade

Nostalgia ≠ Memory?
Memory ≠ Identity?
Experience ≠ Memory?
Memory ≡ Imagination?

Who wrote @mjohnharrison 's Wish I Was Here?

Borges didn't know who wrote 'Borges and I'

Did Kublai Khan or Marco Polo write Calvino's 'Invisible Cities'?

Wendy Mitchell asks, 'Which me am I today?'

Saudade ≡ conjury?

#saudade #porto #philosophy #philosophyofmemory #jorgeLuisBorges #Calvino #memory

2023-11-13

A little toot on my own trumpet...

The 10 images in the series 'The Scar Is Not The Memory' will be for sale as part of the 12x12 Festival in Lisbon, 7-10 December.

Everything in the festival is just €25 each.

There will be an online catalogue available shortly.

Find 12x12 on Insta here: instagram.com/1_2_x_1_2/

See a reel of all the series here: instagram.com/reel/CzlUxgxI0MG

Thank you!

#cyanotype #metamorphogram #blueprint #scar #memory #philosophy #philosophyofmemory #lisboa #porto

2023-11-09

More of the series 'The Scar Is not The Memory'

Cyanotype on watercolour paper with silk stitching.

#metamorphogram
#origami
#blueprint
#cyanotype
#memory
#philosophy
#philosophyofmemory
#redthread
#scar
#VisibleMending
#octagon #triangle #squares #geometric #orizuru

A dual octagonal geometric pattern in blue and white, on paper that shows the folds from previously being an origami form. There is red stitching mending small rips in the paperA mix of squares and triangles in an unbalanced geometric pattern in blue and white, on paper that shows the folds from previously being an origami form. There is red stitching mending small rips in the paperA triangular unbalanced geometric pattern in blue and white, on paper that shows the folds from previously being an origami form. There is red stitching mending small rips in the paper. One large triangle is made of four smaller equilateral trianglesA mix of squares and triangles in an unbalanced geometric pattern in blue and white, on paper that shows the folds from previously being an origami form. There is red stitching mending small rips in the paper. This paper used to be an origami crane
2023-11-02

The Scar Is Not The Memory. Metamorphogram, silk thread.

First in a series.

Unfolding origami, folds remain, like scars gained in the process.

But a scar is a mnemonic, not a memory.

Here, the memory (cyanotype + origami = metamorphogram; a visible memory) and scars overlap.

Sometimes, the process of becoming is so tough that stitches are needed to repair the damage.

#metamorphogram #origami #blueprint #cyanotype #memory #philosophy #philosophyofmemory #redthread #scar #VisibleMending

Imagine an origami bowl, 4 sided, folded from a single sheet. Unfolded, the areas where light touched the bowl are now blue. The areas of the paper which were hidden from light are white. The square central area has negative images of circular forms, like ghost coins haunting the bowl. Running orizontally left from the centre, and diagonally halfway to the top right corner, are two short sections of simple red silk stitching.
2023-10-16

Coming soon...
Issues in Philosophy of Memory 3.5

An online, freely accessible conference weighted towards the work of early career researchers.

Some great session chairs lined up, and some very interesting talks proposed.

All details here:
phomo.org/events/ipm3-5

#philosophy #philosophyOfMemory #philosophyOfMind #memory #mnemonic #onlineconference

2023-09-06

A searchable bibliography of publications relating to philosophy of memory:

phil-mem.org/philmembib.html

Over 2000 entries.
Hosted by the Centre for Philosophy of Memory at the Universite Grenoble Alps.

#philosophy #philosophyOfMemory #memory #database #bibliography #CPM #UnversiteGrenobleAlps

2023-08-03

I've been interviewed about my background, process, cyanotypes, origami, memory and more.

You can watch it here (18 mins):
youtu.be/1V7hR8fEvnA

(Disclosure: Subcultours facilitate artist workshops, and invited me to join them)

I hate being in front of the camera, so this is a rare occurrence. And... is there anyone out there who likes the sound of their own voice?

#cyanotype #blueprint #origami #metamorphogram #memory #philosophy #philosophyOfMemory #artistinterview #selfconscious

2023-07-24

The artistic reality.

Spent the day researching philosophical aspects of the narrative self, and scouring the internet for information and opportunities in Porto.

Now I'm tired, and demoralized.

Onde estão as oportunidades artísticas no Porto?!

But I know a bit more about philosophy of memory.

#ArtistLife #ArtisticReality #Porto #ArtistsOfPorto #ArtisticResearch #ThisPlaceMustBeEarth #philosophy #philosophyOfmemory #NarrativeSelf #warning

A large plain open notebook, with handwritten notes. Scraps of paper, also annotated. Research articles scattered on and under the papers. A pen, chewed at both ends. A laptop, open, showing a red screensaver with white text: WARNING, THIS PLACE MUST BE EARTH.

[The screensaver is adapted from an electrical appliance safety notice, and actually reads; Warning, this appliance must be earthed. Some letters have been overlaid with white boxes]
2023-07-18

Abstraction and memory.

Scraps of cyanotype coated tissue paper - forgotten parts of other works - laid out in up to 6 layers as 'negatives'.

Sun reveals the constructed image. It reminds me of [ ].

And you?

It's a strange creative process.

Like searching for the memory of something you had forgotten that you remembered.

#cyanotype #blueprint #scraps #AbstractArt #memory #forgotten #remembered #layers #ArtisticProcess #sunprint #PaperNegatives #TissuePaper #PhilosophyOfMemory

An abstract of what seems white marks on a greenish blue background which differs in shades all over the paper
The white marks look like brush marks. There is a main upright form centreright, with offshoots horizontally both left and rightScraps of white tissue paper with dark painted brush marks. The paper is is multiple layers and there are many scrapsDetail from the first image showing white marks, blue marks and green marks with lots of tonal and textural variationDetail from the first image showing white marks, blue marks and green marks with lots of tonal and textural variation

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