Major Project Proposal // Unforgettable
MA Graphic Branding and Identity // London College of Communication
Research about Memory, Forgetfulness and the camera impact on this matter.
Book binding and foiling done by me.
Since the early days of humankind, we have tried to remember, to hold on to our memories,
to preserve our knowledge through the development of numerous mechanisms to aid us.
However, it was not until recently with the development of digital tools that remembering
has become the default and forgetting the exception. We live in the age of memory obsession
as we produce and archive huge amounts of data, photos, and other types of information trying to
achieve total recall. But are these tools really helping us to better remember or doing the opposite?
And what are the consequences of a permanent memory? Furthermore, my research led me to question
the importance of forgetting. Is it actually an essential and useful mechanism for the human brain?
Can forgetfulness not necessarily mean ignorance but rather the secret to better thinking?
Intro
The project's introduction is outside the book in a separate sheet that needs to be ripped of. It introduces the theme of the project: memory and forgetfulness.
Research Question
Can forgetfulness be appreciated?
The question was written with disappearing ink to test the reader's memory.
“As soon as there is a time limit, do we look longer, due to daunting idea that it will only become a memory and that we cannot physically view this image again?” Adam Good in 'One Hour Photo'
Report & Visual Summary
These two books include the theoretical research behind the project and visual experiments I produced to illustrate all topics.
Issues addressed:
- Fear of forgetting
- Desire of an absolute memory
- The myth of total recall
- Social perception of forgetfulness
- Outsourced memory
- The digital shift
- Digital Amnesia
-Virtue of forgetting
- Essential Forgetting