ARTIST STATEMENT
Throughout history, the book has been utilized as a means of recording and preserving memory and history, both in a social and personal context. As our society shifts to more and more digital platforms, the book is in a state of flux; however, institutions take great strides to preserve and repair many books and manuscripts that are deemed important. However, many of these books, manuscripts, and journals are never salvaged and completely decay and disappear.
My ongoing body of work uses the dismantled and decaying antique book as a metaphor for memory and, more specifically, memory loss. I use the interior pages of the book, both the blank end pages that are devoid of information and the interior text pages, presented out of order and lacking context. I am interested in what happens to these memories when they can no longer be remembered. Like the question of the tree in the forest, if the individual can no longer recall an event or memory, did it ever really occur?
© Sarah Rehmer