Sarah Pakay

This project is about memory, the communication of memory, and creating a visualization of mental processes that pertains to the obsession of holding on to the past. The project exemplifies a multi-layered approach to storytelling by experimenting with the narrative quality of a book. By using repetition and excess the content makes a comparison between the inevitable manifestation of physical and mental clutter, to portray the hidden aspects of the psychological distress.

I chose to explore this topic through reminiscent memory, by creating a physical collection of items and images to represent the inside of mental clutter. Research connects physical clutter to psychological distress. Sherrie Bourg Carter Psy. D. of Psychology Today lists reasons for “Why Mess Causes Stress.” She states “Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed.” Clutter extends past the physical form, and also collects in the mind. This project focuses on memory to illustrate the idea that continuously fixating on singular moments can crowd the mind and overwhelm the senses, leaving the person feeling anxious and stuck within the constraints of the mind, unable to make room for new experiences or further learning to occur.

The project has two main parts, a book of photographs, and an installation depicting the resemblance of a domestic space built around it.

See more of Sarah’s work: www.SarahPakay.com