Some of the most melancholy memorials are those which do not say much at all, leaving the viewer to make an effort, to become part of it, and to consequently form an affective bond. These memorials are not simply objects, but experiences. They invite participation rather than mere observance. The point is not seeking to find a ‘cure’ for grief, but accepting that sorrow is a necessary component of our human condition. Sometimes the experience may hang over the visitor like a question mark, something unsolvable, beyond comprehension, a wound kept open through the work of the memorial.
Jacky Bowring, A Field Guide to Melancholy
Memorial is a site-specific audio work for headphones and multi-speaker diffusion. The work uses ambient recordings taken from within the Memorial Court and Art Gallery and combines them with archival recordings of war testimonials.
The testimonials are presented anonymously, without any political or cultural pretext or intention. This work is concerned with the importance of preserving the memories and testimonials of those who have experienced war in their lives.
The Memorial Court’s incredibly reverberant acoustics allow for a long decay of sound. This acoustic trait seems rather symbolic of the nature of the location: sounds appear to be momentarily frozen both in time and space.
Memorial is presented in two forms: as a multi-speaker installation and as a headphone experience specific to the Memorial Court. The complete work is available to download here. Listeners are encouraged to transfer the file onto their mp3 players and visit the space.
Details of the installation below:
Saturday 22 October 2011
12.30-4.30pm
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Free, no booking required
In association with Lunchbreak Concerts at Cowdray Hall
