At the beginning of 2021, I collaborated with Thomas Buckley on the first edition of MEMORY BOX. The project was commissioned by Arthouse Jersey. Tom traveled to the island and spent and intensive working period at the barracks. I assisted where I could since I wasn’t able to travel due to Covid-restrictions.
MEMORY BOX was designed to reach older members of our community who may be lonely or socially isolated, by bringing a unique theatrical experience directly into people’s homes, without the need for a single person to cross the threshold, thereby being deliverable within all COVID restrictions. Each Memory Box is an immersive art experience contained within a box that, when opened and activated, brings a story to life through multimedia, multi-sensory technologies, such as sound, projection, and materials that engage all the senses. Not only will the real-life story, experiences, and memories of a fellow islander be shared and animated in this unique way, but the participants themselves will become absorbed into it through their senses. The script for the story inside the memory box was co-written and edited by local writer Martha MacDonald. The audio narration was done by local voice-over artist, Elisa Canas.
Whether it’s hearing the same sounds, smelling the same smells, and tasting the same tastes, the participant will be able to connect to the narrative on a visceral level as they are taken through the experience step by step by audio/visual cues and narration.
A beautiful film about the project was made by Arthouse Jersey, co-produced with Will Jack Robinson: https://bit.ly/2ODrfUE