Forget Before
2023
Solo exhibition at Center for Contemporary Art Karlsruhe
Listen to the sound piece I Forget I, 2023. 9.25 min
here
I Forget I
I forget
I
forgot I
I appeared
reappeared
I am here
In the dark
In free fall
falling or suspended
bended
to bend
curve I
curve slowly
my weight shifting slightly
I gaze
I forget
I´ve seen this world
flying in the sky
one world of many
I see in the distance
stars disappearing
drifting
into the heart of darkness
around around around
you
still here?
I forget
you
devided
sliced space in two
manifold
many
any
to be one possibility
in free fall
Where are we when we forget? What state are we in? Are we in a state of suspension? Do
we fall or orbit? Are we drawn into a subconscious realm where many different selves
exist? What happens to us and our experience of time when we forget?
In this exhibition Jill Kiddon creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that provokes its viewers. When you enter the room, you find yourself in a space where things repeat, fall, and are pulled in. The focus, especially of the sculptures shown in the space lies on movement and the many layers that make up our experience of forgetting.
In her installation the artist brings together sculptures, collages as well as sound.
The soundpiece will be will be performed at 7pm at the opening.
Each piece consists of many different layers, much like our minds consists of many different levels of consciousness. In her sculptures Jill Kiddon uses a transparent and lightweight epoxy resin as a base, which is then layered with different textiles. These fabrics overlap, stretch, and are pulled through holes. Chains and everyday objects weigh the sculptures down, giving the impression that they are falling, due to the pull of gravity.
The sound piece is based on free-form a text about forgetting posing the question whether forgetting is a continuous experience we are unaware of. The text refers to the idea that in the process of forgetting a new possible self emerges. This self forgets it has previously existed, which inevitably leads to another emerging possible self. In the loop of forgetting Kiddons voice echoes through the exhibition space.
The theme of forgetting is one that has been explored by both philosophy and science. Philosophers have long been interested in the nature of memory and forgetting, and have debated whether forgetting is simply the absence of memory, or whether it is an active process that is necessary for our mental health. Scientists have recently begun to explore the role that forgetting plays in memory consolidation and learning. Some studies suggest that forgetting is essential to our ability to learn and even to remember important information.
Jill Kiddon's exhibition "Forget Before" is an exploration of the state of forgetting. By using different media and layering different levels of consciousness, Kiddon invites us to think deeply about what it means to forget and how it shapes our lives.