Reality and Memory

Reality and Memory are two things I am analysing in relation to the work of artists Oliver Boberg, Thomas Demand and Carl Zimmermann.

Although their works have similar processes - all taking photographs of models and not “real” spaces, their aims are varied.

Oliver Boberg makes models of fictional generic spaces, the type that we see all the time in sub-urban landscape (examples). The repetition of these types of spaces in modern day architecture causes the viewer to feel like they have seen them before, but they are unable to place them.

Thomas Demand re-creates real spaces of historical importance, many from media photographs. These original widespread images may be familiar to the viewer, triggering the memory of what they were told happened at that place. Demands lack of detail in his painstakingly made models suggests that there was something left out of the story, and encourages the viewer to rethink what they might know. All histories leave out something, history might not be over. Demand encourages this continuation through his images.

Carl Zimmermann images are purely fictional, based on architectural trends in two historical periods, the span between the two world wars and the Victorian period around the mid 19^thC. Both periods have strong attachment to monumental architecture. Lost Hamilton Landmarks explores Government Institutional buildings such as hospitals, power stations, post offices and schools in the 1930’s. These type of buildings “appeared to exist on the margins of collective memory” as many of them were demolished before the time of making the models. During the exhibition at the Irish Museum of Modern Art , Zimmermann took control of the exhibition space, the description and advertising and created a fictional history in order deceive the viewer.

I propose to have series of images without captions along the staircase followed by a short text. I want people to see the images first to and to form an opinion before they read about their background.