Place and Memory: Artwork as Personal Monument

Chen Yanyi

In this sharing session, Yanyi brings us through the creation of her artwork and essay, which are focused on the relationship between place and memory. The paper discusses what "place" and the "sense of placelessness" constitute through artwork analyses. To expand further, it talks about the role of monuments, recognising the idea of artwork as a personal monument. The artwork, however, focuses more on deconstructing and reconstructing the memory of place. Patterns collected from emotion-attached locations in Dongguan, China, were used to make silicone moulds. The final work comprised three maps constructed using textures from the various sites. As the silicon pieces carried these materials, the illusion of streets and buildings on a map is achieved when the audience takes a closer look at the work. They are also invited to have "palm readings" of each site through this work, taking part in the discussion to form new perspectives. As we prepare for life in this pandemic era, the opportunities to leave our homes and experience other places become a rare commodity. The work explores this "new normal" by providing the audience with a new perception of life and what we regard as "normal".

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