External Memory, group exhibition

HYPER HOUSE is pleased to present the group exhibition 'External Memory' curated by Ana Drucker, with works by Food of War & Chérine Yazbeck, Rayane Jemaa, Sara Sadik, Tabita Rezaire, Vica Pacheco and Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries. This exhibition is part of the MMMAD Festival 2024 programme.

The ability to remember plays a crucial role in the formation of individual, cultural and social identity. The transmission of stories, traditions and events allows us to connect collectively over time, creating a sense of belonging and togetherness and consolidating the persistence of a community. These collective memories influence the construction of cultural narratives and identities, defining how a society functions, how we perceive it and how it perceives itself.

Yet memory is not a static archive, but a dynamic and malleable process. Our identity is constantly changing as we experience, process and reinterpret our past. This plasticity is intensified by the influence of technology.

The excessive use of screens and the massive generation and sharing of personal data have transformed our connection to memory and the way we remember and identify ourselves, technology alters and transforms our ability to filter, prioritise and retain information. In this context, memory is no longer just an archive of experiences, but also an external, digital manifestation of our identity.

Furthermore, the excessive generation and sharing of personal data raises questions about the autonomy of our identity. To what extent does technology transform the authenticity of our experiences? How does this affect our identity? What is the role of privacy in the preservation of our memories? How is the excessive consumption and sharing of information impacting the formation of collective memory?

The exhibition hosts the work of 6 artists working through different media such as video, performance, CGI image and reflects on the political, cultural and social importance of memory in a world driven by technology and its role in the construction of identity.