Archiving Memories

"Contemplate"

This studio focused on the concept of archiving memories. I was tasked to research an abandoned city and create an archive/exhibition for the uninhabited town... 

As the viewers enter the temporary war memorial, they must walk through the devastation wrought to the city of Oradour-Sur-Glane, France. The ruins remind the viewers of the once thriving village. Transitioning from these ruins, the viewers enter the heart of the memorial where they are able to observe the domestic lifestyle of those that were lost. Continuing further through the memorial, the images of the ruins are replaced with images of the city at it’s prime. Surrounding these images are displays of photos, items, and artifacts representing daily living common in the 1940s. Upstairs on the mezzanine is a model of Oradour-Sur-Glane depicting the village before the massacre. Here, there is also a tv screen discussing the history of Oradour-Sur-Glane, the destruction taken place there, and the survivor's testimonies.