Memory and the Internet

As the background for this blog entry, Dr. Gilbert had sent us this email:

The theme or concept of the production is Memory, which came about when Lisa Naugle posted an image of a tunnel that served to illuminate a moment on Facebook when two were posting simultaneously to each other across the continent.  Her image brought to mind the current site specific installation at the Guggenheim by Anish Kapoor entitled Memory.  

Then Dr. Gilbert spoke about his impressions of this exhibit in class. My response to him and the other members of the project follow:

When you were speaking about the Guggenheim's exhibition on Memory, you mentioned that you can't see some of the exhibits completely--in one viewing.  It was accomplished from different angles, levels and perspectives.  What I was trying to express, but I fear it didn't come out that clearly, is that the display of the exhibition complements the subject.  Often we reflect on a memory differently at different stages of our lives.  We gain perspective, we understand or are explained the background to a happening.  A person's memory of an event can also alter due to therapy.  Alternatively, as Tom wrote, we can forget, or choose to forget, a painful memory or it melts into other memories. 



On the internet, our interactions with webpages aren't saved.  What we saw, clicked, filled-out, etc. is happening in that moment.  The results of a form might be saved but not the page as it existed at that moment.  We rely on our memories to reflect on what the page looked like with it's colors, style, interactive features, prices, and if it had flashing advertisements and what it was advertising.  Even if we "save" the webpage, when we open it, it appears as the page is formatted now not how it was when we saved it.  Or, as Tom mentioned, it has disappeared completely.  Unless we photograph the page using the "print screen" option--we not only have our own memories to contend with--but we might have differing opinions with others, creating an even larger tangle of memories.



This can also apply to any live performance unless it is preserved on tape.  With simultaneous performance between many locations, it becomes even more difficult to fully capture all the participants and happenings.  And, what becomes a person's memory of the event is heavily influenced by which location he or she was at.  This can create vastly different memories/perceptions of the event....



Some sub-themes of memory to use in building the performance/production could be the fleetingness of moments, perceptions, perspectives, time, pain, and forgetting.  We could work on this using many mediums:  dance, music, visual.


CISCO and us

Two of the main focuses of human history have been technology and communication. The former to enable us to do our tasks be it a hoe, pencil, and now computer uses such as word processing and the internet. The latter is to enable us to work together smoothly or exchange information.

Last week, most of our class gathered in front of a huge screen constructed and implemented by the company CISCO for an experimental chat. Another part of our class went over to a nearby location and we engaged in an exchange via this method. It's evident that CISCO has spent much time, effort and money on the visual clarity of their product. It was far superior to Skype and didn't have its jiggling or fuzziness. This is especially impressive considering how large the image was--which usually distorts at that size.

The sound was a problem though. One could only be heard by the other location when speaking close to a microphone. This immediatly limits the type of exchange that could happen with this set up. Essentially, one would need to be stationary, close to this microphone. There was also a substantial sound latency to make any sort of musically colloboration very difficult unless it was in a call and response style.

The set up functions well for how it was intended which was for a business conference in two locations. Or, it could be used as any sort of verbal exchange between two people or two groups. This could be good for teaching, classes exchanging ideas globally, and music lessons between a master teacher and an advanced student.

I feel that at its present state, it is not that conducive for simutaneous performance because of the stationary microphone and sound latency. Unless, as mentioned above, that it was an exchange.

We have to be thankful and acknowledge that CISCO has made huge strides for our society in both technology and communication.