Exploring memories to choose between immortality and death

​

In 2069, extreme advancements in medicine and technology means death has finally been conquered, only occurring by accident or through voluntary intervention. The long sought after dream of immortality has become reality. However, the eternal life provided by this utopia is often a curse disguised as a gift as people realise they don’t necessarily want to live forever.

Those searching for help to make this final decision can visit ‘Ponte della Memoria’ in Venice, which spans between the main island and the San Michele cemetery island. This is a monastery set up by two artists with an obsession with memory, stemming from the effect dementia had on both of their grandmothers. Here these two artists developed a method of collecting and interpreting memories to produce artwork commemorating peoples’ lives. There are three user groups of the monastery: the Memory Artists collecting memories and producing the drawings; the Visitor choosing be

tween immortality and death; and the public visiting the gallery exhibiting the memory drawings.

Memory Artists who live and work at the monastery are trained in this specific technique using photographs, pen and watercolour, with a concept based on the ancient art of memory palaces. Memory Collectors take visitors through a series of spaces encouraging conversation and reflection about their lives. These memories are then recreated by the Memory Artists. At the end of this process, the artwork is unveiled to the Visitor before being displayed in the grand gallery. The Visitor can then decide if they wish to return to their life or proceed to San Michele to give up their immortality.