The Unreliable Scientific Method to Memory and Material Culture

Have you ever come across an old photograph from your childhood and realized you have no recollection of the moment it captures? Or perhaps you’ve experienced a memory from your youth that seems hazy and uncertain, leaving you unsure if it even occurred? If you can relate to either of these situations, rest assured that you are not alone. Many of us encounter difficulties when it comes to recalling memories from our early years and distinguishing between real events and fabricated ones. But why do we remember things that never really truly happen?

The human brain. A vital, complex and powerful organ. Controller of all body activities, it allows us to think, feel and act. Inside it, lies a compelling faculty: the memory. A mysterious neuro-chemical process that is crucial to the human experience. Crucial, but far from being perfect. Memory has its flaws and pitfalls.

In this book made as student project at Elisava we address the matter of uncertainty. Is our memory reliable? Can our memory be altered? Can we protect our memory? These questions are investigated in the form of a scientific experiment, in which we try to find solutions to these problems in the realm of artifacts and materials. Which effects do artifacts have in the human memory? Can materiality be the key to repairing it?