The Making of Collecting Memories: A Love Story
SuperMonster市City! co-founder Stephen Rueff designed Collecting Memories: A Love Story as a lyrical exploration into the mind of a collector, delving into nostalgia, identity, and seeking to reveal how we all embed personal memories into pop culture objects. This mixed-media explores the ephemeral nature of memory, and seeks to stimulate waves of nostalgia in the hopes attendees will access collective and individual memories related to pop culture artifacts. Areas of invite contemplation, reflections. and include interactive elements allowing attendees to record and share their own memories.
The installation features David Barnhill‘s vintage toys, as well as family photos and recordings as source materials. In addition to the vintage toys are vintage packaging and more, to provide pathways for attendees to travel to their nostalgic past. David’s collection is estimated to contain over 200,000 items, making this one of the largest private collections of vintage toys and pop culture in America.
Sound designer Emmy Carter uses excerpts from film trailers, television commercials, audio from Barnhill family recordings, and her own compositions to design nuanced and layered waves of sounds, which she refers to as ‘the din of nostalgia’.
An augmented reality experience from Amir Berenjian, founder of REM5vr, transports attendees into a virtual representation of Barnhill’s home, highlighting memories embedded in his collection.
Soundtrack: Collecting Memories Exhibition @Squirrel Haus Arts
Emmy Carter Compositions
Audio is second only to smell as a trigger of nostalgia and memories. To allow exhibit goers the opportunity to more fully appreciate Emmy Carter’s sound design for this exhibition, we are posting these tracks here. These tracks can be accessed while you’re in the gallery or after your visit to give them a deeper listen.
Talking Tiles
This exhibition also includes a large group of colored tiles able to record short audio clips. Exhibit attendees may record their individual memories relating to a toy or pop culture character that helped them or inspired them during their childhood. Attendees give their permission to allow their recordings to be placed on the wall for later attendees to listen to them. The recordings are also regularly uploaded to this website, where others can hear them.
When we are children, toys and pop culture characters often help us cope with challenges, vicariously release frustrations, or inspire us to bravely explore the world. As part of the exhibit, audience members were invited to record their own individual memories of a character that helped or inspired them into colored tiles that hold 30-second audio clips. The tiles were then mounted on the wall so that other exhibit attendees could listen to them and are posted below.
Thank you Andrew, Beatriz, Camille, Chris, David B, Destiny, Eve, Faysal, Gordon, Ilsa, Isabella Sol, Jess, Karen, Kristen, Marie, Mel, Ruth H, Scott W, Keith, Steve R, and Yogi, for sharing your memories.
Time Stamp for individual recordings:
0:00 Andrew; 0:29 Beatriz; 0:59 Camille; 1:54 Chris; 2:18 David B; 2:28 Destiny; 2:57 Eve 3:26 Faysal
3:39 Gordon; 4:13 Ilsa; 4:34 Isabella Sol; 4:53 Jess; 5:15 Karen; 5:49 Kristen; 6:25 Marie; 6:40 Mel
7:05 Ruth H; 7:35 Scott W; 8:04 Keith; 8:28 Steve R; 9:31 Yogi
The Collecting Memories: A Love Story Development Team
Thanks to all of the people who supported us in making this exhibition possible. If we missed anyone, know we appreciate you nonetheless, and let us know so we can update this list.
Stephen Rueff, exhibit designer and curator, co-founder SuperMonster市City!
David Barnhill, collector, co-founder SuperMonster市City!
Emmy Carter, sound designer
Amir Berenjian, XR experience designer
Hannah Schulte, graphic designer
Don Myhre, exhibit elements design and fabrication
Lisa Lynn Powers, seamstress
Joel Johnson, Barnhill family photographer
Tamar Patterson, project photographer
Justin Lees, videographer and editor
Madison Mead, video production and talent
Scott Werner, Werner Elements, web support
Theresa Madaus and Cady Belden, publicity
Image Printing, design of select elements, and print production
An Paenhuysenan, NODE Center for Curation, mentor
Kate Roberts, mentor
Finnovation Lab, Connie Rutledge, CEO, SuperMonster市City! studio space
Squirrel Haus Arts: Michael and Spidie Meyer, exhibition space
Project Supporters
Diane Aldis
David Cambronne
Kristen Froebel
George Hoagland
Ruth Hritzko
Gordon Huser
Joel and Sue Westacott
Destiny Jones, Finnovation Lab
Anita Kristjanson Kangas
Greg Ketter, Dreamhaven
Seán McArdle
Meg McHutchison
Kerry Morgan
Jane Nicolo
Jim Ockuly
Edgar Ockuly
Boris Oicherman
Caroline Palmer
Dawn Pankonien
Natasha Pestich
Connie Rutledge
Cindy Theis
Erica Washburn
Dale Wiehle