MaybeÖ1910

An Interactive Documentary Installation Featuring Interviews with
Rhode Island Seniors (2000)
Maybe...1910 is an interactive sound and video installation that explores
concepts of memory, based on interviews conducted with Rhode Island seniors
discussing experiences from childhood and major life events. Video processing
simulates the quality of memory, which may be lucid,ďblurry, fragmented,
or incomplete. Additional video clips illustrate the stories with historical
footage.
The production process for MaybeÖ1910 included ongoing participation
by the interview subjects, through discussions and preview showings. It
was important to make the work accessible to this group of people.
Many of the interviews were conducted at the Westminster Senior Center
in Providence, and with members
of the Rhode Island Gray Panthers. The installation was previewed for
comments by the participants. The final version opened on First Night Providence,
2000, with a special show open for the elderly participants and their families
on New Yearís Day.
Traditional cultures show a respect and reverence for the elderly and
the wisdom passed down through their stories which creates the collective
memory of a people. This project is much more than simply documenting these
stories since the viewers have a participatory role in selecting the order
and pacing of
the video and audio material. The computer interaction invites viewers
to become active participants in the creative process, encouraging them
to reflect on their own life. My hope is that Maybe...1910 will be a different
experience for each viewer, but all will come to appreciate these stories
of lives lived to their
fullest. For the octogenarian, it may seem like reminiscing with old
friends; for the middle-aged parent, it may be a chance to reflect on the
preciousness of their remaining years; and for children it presents the
views of the elderly in a form that is interactive and immediately engaging.