There are many things that escape our perception on a daily basis. Ranging from paranormal encounters to neurophysiological health to algorithmic control, there is a plethora of invisible phenomena...Show moreThere are many things that escape our perception on a daily basis. Ranging from paranormal encounters to neurophysiological health to algorithmic control, there is a plethora of invisible phenomena that dominate western culture. Because these things live outside of human perception, they require extra steps to prove their existence. Historically, photography has been a useful tool to capture the invisible. This thesis will investigate the representation of invisibility and its aesthetic forms in the twenty-first century. Specifically, with a focus on new media art. Melting Memories is an artwork by Refik Anadol which discusses the elusive nature of our memory. To represent memory as a tangible object, Anadol has leaned heavily on a photographic history as well as on a transparent aesthetic and policy that is projected onto the algorithmic. Moreover, this transparency is rooted in a photographic spectrality that has been redefined to fit new technology. Melting Memories is a reimagining of real neurophysiological data on memory collection in a way that touches on memory preservation and individual versus collective experiences. The artwork is an ode to memory and a celebration of its changeable nature that was meant to combat the morbid truths of memory loss. By incorporating all these themes, this work becomes a productive case study for investigating the alleged dichotomy between the invisible and the visible in the current media landscape.Show less
