ROCKFLUID, a dialogue between science and art

Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Sat 19 March 2011

Which ‘form’ does link matter, perception and memory? Starting from a memory exercise, the activity was at the intersection of psychology, geometry, performance and sculpture. Participants had an object which is dear them.

Artist Elena Cologni and Scientist Lisa Saksida developed an ‘art/lab’ set up to explore the ‘materiality’ and ‘spatiality’ of memory through psychological and artistic tools. This collaboration, starting from shared issues in similar context, aims at attempting an exchange between Art and Neuro-Psychology based on the status of objects, time and space embodiment.

The workshop relates to the consideration of memory in its ‘fluid’ and ‘solid’ states, as Dr Saksida suggests referring to the recollection of events. Memory in its archival state would be solid, and, when in the process of resurfacing would be fluid. In this sense this transitional quality of memory can be a metaphor of Cologni’s way of working, as she considers art in a similar way, neither only matter related, nor only ephemeral: its manifestations can vary and feed into each other.

Venue: Department of Experimental Psychology Downing Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 3EB

Saksida illustrating processes of memory

Cologni ‘practicing’ exercises on sensory memory with video delays (sensory memory, past or present?)

Participants walk behind Cologni forming a shape and draw diagrams of walk from memory (a ritentiva method)

Saksida and Cologni discuss implications of scientific and artistic investigations and methods.

Participants show an object they have with them and tell us a related memory (long term memory-recall)