Julia Juyon Song

Memory as Fiction

Do you believe your memory?How accurate are our memories?‘The Memory as a Fiction’ is a project that explored the non-linear and subjective characteristics of memory and the ways in which memories can be edited and distorted over time due to forgetting.'Although our memories always feel true, they're highly vulnerable to errant suggestions, clever manipulations and the old-fashioned needs of storytelling (Jonah Lehrer)'The underlying concept of this project is that our memories are not fixed or objective, but subjective and flexible constructs that can be shaped and distorted by the presence of forgetting and various factors. The process of forgetting and interference with other memories can alter our recollection of events, and as a result, the memories we recall may be unintentionally made-up novels.

“'Memory as Fiction' is a project that explores the non-linear and subjective nature of memory. Inspired by Sarah Manguso's memoir, 'Ongoingness: The End of a Diary,' which examines her own diary written over 25 years, this project consists of fragmented sentences that express reflections on past photos that provide glimpses into my memories. The project is presented in the form of a novel with a deck of cards packaged in a book-shaped box, emphasizing the exploration of memory.Each card provides a short text that describes a specific memory related to a particular photo. Some memories are linked, while others are not. The fragmented structure of the cards emphasizes the fragmented nature of memory and the flexibility and sensitivity of distortion over time. Keywords that symbolize vague and blurry memories are left blank, inviting readers to complete incomplete sentences with their own memories, and suggesting that readers reflect on their own memories. Through this process, readers can have a moment of doubt about their vague memories and can look back on how their individual experiences and perspectives can edit and shape their memories of events. Finally, as the reader recalls their memories and completes the sentence, a completely fictional story is created in the reader's and creator's memories. This metaphorically emphasizes that our memories can be edited and distorted by others, space, and current environment and perspectives over time.Therefore, the project suggests the idea that memories can sometimes be stories that are different from reality and that our memories are a kind of fiction that can change and reinterpret over time. ”