Water and Memory

Symnemoria is an immersive, participatory performance designed for an audience of 50 or more, centered on a large, transparent water tank that serves as both a communal vessel and a dynamic canvas. Participants are invited to inscribe personal words, signs, or miniature drawings on special paper called Epekimnesis Parchment  (water-dispersible paper), reflecting intimate thoughts or expressions without prescribed themes. These notes are then gently submerged into the tank, where they rapidly dissolve, releasing inks and forms into the water in an acausal manner. As the elements diffuse and interact unintentionally—driven by subtle currents or natural sedimentation—the performance unfolds as a live, evolving spectacle, projected onto surrounding screens for collective viewing. The event culminates in a shared contemplation of the emergent patterns, symbolizing the fusion of individual human contributions with water's indifferent archive, fostering a sense of interconnected vulnerability and release.c sapien auctor gravida in in tellus.

Epekimnesis Parchment paper notes embody the interplay between abiotic erosion and biotic memory by simulating water's role as an unintentional recorder of temporal images. Abiotic erosion refers to the natural, non-living processes by which water gradually wears away materials, incorporating residues from past events—such as sedimentary layers that preserve historical pollutants or isotopic traces—without purpose or design. In the performance, the paper's dissolution mirrors this erosion: the notes, inscribed with biotic elements (human memories and expressions rooted in biological cognition), disintegrate rapidly upon immersion, releasing inks that blend acausally into the water. This creates temporal images—fading patterns and diffused forms—that water "absorbs" unintentionally, transforming personal biotic imprints into an abiotic archive. The connection underscores epekimnesis, where water retains these traces as a neutral memory bank, free from anthropocentric intent, thus bridging human lived experiences with nature's enduring, erosive cycles.

Symnemoria is a refined minimalism through its emphasis on transience and fluidity. The visual spectacle of dissolving notes—yielding subtle chromatic gradients and fragmented shapes—creates an ethereal, ever-shifting tableau that captivates through its impermanence, enhanced by lighting that accentuates refraction and movement. This design prioritizes sensory immersion, drawing viewers into a contemplative space where beauty emerges from dissolution, though it risks visual uniformity if participant contributions lack diversity.

Philosophically, the performance engages deeply with concepts of acausality and unintentionality, positing water as a medium that erodes human-centric memory into a universal, non-linear archive. It aligns with speculative realism by challenging anthropocentrism, illustrating how biotic memories (personal inscriptions) yield to abiotic processes (erosion and incorporation), fostering reflection on the interconnected flux of existence. However, its reliance on audience participation may dilute philosophical rigor if interpretations veer toward sentimentality.

Symnemoria innovates as a collaborative ritual, blending performance art with environmental interaction to democratize the creation process. The use of Epekimnesis Parchment paper introduces a novel material dimension, enabling real-time transformation that elevates the work beyond static installations. While it demonstrates conceptual sophistication, execution depends on logistical precision to maintain impact, potentially limiting scalability.

Symnemoria emerges as a compelling intervention in contemporary eco-art. The performance's ritualistic dissolution of personal notes into water evokes a mainstream-caliber ambition, akin to Olafur Eliasson's perceptual manipulations or Theaster Gates's material explorations, where everyday elements yield profound communal resonance. Aesthetically, its fluid, acausal visuals command the space with minimalist elegance, potentially rivaling Sarah Sze's intricate systems in their ability to captivate through evolution. Philosophically, it rigorously interrogates anthropocentrism, positioning water as an indifferent archivist that erodes biotic memory into abiotic traces, a theme that would resonate in global art platforms for its timeliness amid climate discourse. Artistically, the project's participatory scale—engaging 50+ individuals—mirrors art practices that embrace immersive, audience-driven works, though it demands precise orchestration to avoid dilution, ensuring it reverberates as a landmark in relational aesthetics.