In the memory of lost dreams 2016
In the memory of lost dreams is an installation artwork that explores the psychological journey of a new immigrant in the city (as a self-defense) , as she grapples with the loss of childhood dreams and the challenges of adapting to a new reality.
The artwork is inspired by the idea that childhood toys were once symbols of boundless possibilities, but as we grow up, they lose their colours(symbolic) and become distant from our dreams.
The artist, at first, has used old second-hand objects to create new objects and gradually discovered the distortion of reality and fragments of childhood in the forms of childhood toys. Using a collage technique, the artist has cut and assembled these toys with other materials such as stone and wood at first and later with other toys pieces, resulting in surreal and absurd toys that represent the lost dreams of childhood.
The toys have been painted white, symbolising the loss of colour and the fading away of our childhood dreams. The installation features these toys, two or more cute toys pasted together, suspended on a piece of wood that has been hung higher than eye level to evoke a sense of power and magnificence, just as our childhood dreams once seemed.
A small stool has been placed underneath the installation, allowing viewers to get closer to the dolls and experience the artwork up close, just as we did as children when we reached for our toys.
Overall, In the memory of lost dreams is a poignant and thought-provoking artwork that invites viewers to reflect on the fragility of childhood dreams and the challenges of growing up in a world full of impossibilities.
*A defense mechanism is a coping technique that reduces anxiety arising from unacceptable or potentially harmful impulses. Defense mechanisms may result in healthy or unhealthy consequences depending on the circumstances and frequency with which the mechanism is used. defense mechanisms (German:Abwehrmechanismen) are psychological strategies brought into play by the unconscious mind to manipulate, deny, or distort reality in order to defend against feelings of anxiety and unacceptable impulses to maintain one’s self-schema.
