Artist Statement

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The Architect of the Mind, is an attempt to reconstruct what was encapsulated, to rebuild that which is lost and disintegrated. To grasp how ‘a copy, of a copy, of a copy…. of an original’, if continued will deteriorate the details of the image. Through the breakdown of the pixilation, data is lost never to be recovered unless you hold the original template.

 

‘A memory of a memory, of a memory….’ deviates from the original truth much like the symptoms of Dementia and Alzheimer. Once the person is unable to fully recall the memory or factual information one relies on another person to remember and interpret.

 

The Architect of the Mind, depicts the complexity of the mind through physical layers as seen in the rendering of piece.  A time capsule, the passage of time and the beauty of living in the moment.  The piece is layered much like our persona an exterior public facade, the interior physical mass of the brain, and the transparent colored images representing the ethereal quality of memories.  The QR code provided is the key to accessing mementos.

 

Ukiyo: a Japanese word phrase living in the moment.

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Memento: Synonyms 

• commemorative, 

• keepsake, 

• memorial, 

• monument, 

• remembrance, 

• reminder, 

• souvenir, 

• token

 

Did You Know?

Memento comes from the imperative form of "meminisse," a Latin verb that literally means "to remember." (The term memento mori, meaning "a reminder of mortality," translates as "remember that you must die.") The history of "memento" makes it clear where its spelling came from, but because a memento often helps one remember a particular moment, people occasionally spell the term "momento." That second version is usually considered a misspelling, but it appears often enough in edited prose to have been considered acceptable for entry in Webster's Third New International Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary.

Examples of memento in a Sentence a collection of photographs and mementos It was a memento of our trip. 

 

- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memento

 

Please note: If my work is chosen, I will consult the board of Baycrest for the appropriate links to share on my website.  The current website page is a sample that will be further developed.  The purchaser of the piece will have the opportunity to share personal images so that the artist may generate a visual piece granting access through this dynamic code.

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Why do you want to participate in the Brain Project?

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I came across this project and was inspired to participate, as the concept of spreading the message of a complex topic is noble. It is essential to inform and create awareness about conditions of the brain that affects many individuals for a multitude of reasons.  Addressing this delicate topic to loved ones, who potentially show signs of dementia, is difficult and a fragile approach is necessary.

 

I am very interested in the functions of the brain and how we operate, especially when trauma has occurred through injury, illness, or as a side effect of an aggressive medication that on the other hand would potentially save a life. 

 

In addition, I have personally suffered from chronic fatigue and a concussion, both negatively impacting my cognitive functioning.  I experienced temporary loss of my ability to tap into my creative side ‘my visual library’ which is a core part of my existence as an artist.  Recognizing and experiencing alterations in memory recall, better informed me to face the impact on my Mom, who went through aggressive cancer treatments, which, continues to impair her ability to remember particular events.

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Please provide a description of your design and its inspiration?

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Title: The Architect of the Mind

 

Etched and pierced metal, transparent color images on plexi-glass, objects encapsulated in resin, all layered in front of and behind the sculptural pre-fabricated form of a brain.  A image of a QR code is shown that can be scanned, linking the viewer to my website so they may watch a sequence of video images construing ‘mementos’ with an option to click on link buttons to learn more information about the mission of Baycrest, and the phases of Alzheimer and Dementia.

 

My inspiration is having a greater understanding about a topic of illness is empowering.  To recognize art as a visual language, can assist in discovering alternative ways to communicate, remember and exercise the brain; a key to coping with changes in the neuropath ways of the mind.

 

 

 

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