The Art of Memory | Carlos Betancourt | TEDxRVA

Summary

The artist discusses how memories, nature, and beauty shape their work, emphasizing the importance of personal experiences in creating art. They explore the role of change and the significance of history, advocating for embracing one's heritage and culture to find a unique artistic voice. The artist shares personal stories, such as creating sandcastles and honoring their grandmother's memory, to illustrate the power of art in preserving beauty and evoking emotions.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The artist believes that beauty, memory, and nature are integral to their artwork and life, emphasizing the importance of personal experiences in shaping art.
• 🌟 Memories are unique to each individual and the artist uses them to explore change, taking past experiences and placing them in a new context.
• 🏞️ Nature and beauty are recurring themes in the artist's work, often used to provoke thought and emotion.
• 🗣️ The artist stresses the necessity of having a unique voice in art, which comes from one's own experiences rather than imitating others.
• 🏛️ Museums are mentioned as places that preserve art and beauty from change, contrasting with the transient nature of some aspects of life.
• 🌈 The artist's heritage, including being born in Puerto Rico to Cuban parents and moving to Miami, greatly influences their work and perspective.
• 🌊 Miami is described as a place of cultural syncretism and a melting pot that has shaped the artist's worldview and artwork.
• 🏡 The artist encourages others to embrace their home, heritage, culture, and personal circumstances to find their unique voice.
• 📸 The importance of photo albums and the memories they contain is highlighted, as they provide a visual narrative of one's life and history.
• 🎁 Objects and their embedded memories are central to the artist's work, with the belief that art can activate these memories and give them new life.
• 🌲 The artist finds inspiration in nature as a constant source of renewal and belonging, suggesting that returning to nature can provide endless creativity.

Q & A

What are the main themes of the artist's work?

The main themes of the artist's work are beauty, memory, and nature. These elements help give meaning to the artist's life and define their artwork.

How does the artist use memories in their artwork?

The artist uses memories to explore change by taking past experiences and placing them in a new context, provoking change or the absence of it.

What is the importance of having a unique voice in art according to the artist?

Having a unique voice in art is crucial as it allows an artist to express their own experiences authentically, preventing their work from showing dishonesty.

Why does the artist believe that art should be informed by one's own experiences?

The artist believes that art should be informed by one's own experiences because it allows for authenticity and a unique voice that resonates with the individual's truth.

What role does nature play in the artist's work?

Nature plays a significant role in the artist's work as it is a source of inspiration and a place where the artist can always return to for a sense of belonging.

How does the artist's cultural background influence their work?

The artist's cultural background, including their heritage and upbringing in Miami, influences their work by providing a rich tapestry of experiences and a melting pot of cultures that inform their unique voice.

What is the significance of the sandcastles in the artist's artwork?

The sandcastles symbolize the artist's childhood memories and the concept of change. As an adult, the artist recreates them symmetrically to represent a loss of innocence.

How does the artist view the role of objects in art?

The artist views objects as carriers of memory and believes it is their role to activate these memories within their artwork.

What does the artist mean when they say that beauty is highly intellectual?

The artist suggests that beauty is not just aesthetic but also intellectual, implying that the appreciation and creation of beauty require thought and understanding.

Why does the artist collect Christmas ornaments?

The artist collects Christmas ornaments to recreate the memory of assembling the Christmas tree with their mother and to honor the beauty and magic associated with those ornaments.

What is the artist's perspective on change?

The artist acknowledges that change is inevitable but also emphasizes the importance of preserving certain memories and experiences that give meaning to life and make us unique.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Art, Memory, and Identity

The speaker, a visual artist, discusses how beauty, memory, and nature are integral to their life and artwork. They believe that everyone is a 'memory maker' and that art should be a reflection of personal experiences to maintain authenticity. The artist emphasizes the importance of understanding history and the past to contribute to the ongoing narrative of art, suggesting that the past can provoke change. They also touch on the idea of preserving beauty and how it is intertwined with art, using examples like Picasso's 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' to illustrate the point that art is collected to prevent change. The artist's background, being from Puerto Rico and of Cuban descent, and moving to Miami in 1980, has influenced their work, which is a blend of cultures and experiences.

05:03

🌊 Embracing Heritage and Finding One's Voice

The artist talks about finding their voice through embracing their home, heritage, and personal circumstances. They suggest that everyone should look to their own memories, both good and bad, to find their unique voice. The artist shares an experience of creating symmetrical sandcastles as an adult, contrasting with the random structures of their childhood, to illustrate how perspectives can change over time. They also discuss the emotional connection to objects, particularly those that belonged to their grandmother, and how objects carry memories. The use of glitter and blue in their artwork is explained as a way to 'activate' these memories, similar to rituals in Western African cultures. The artist also reflects on consumerism and the emotional attachment to objects.

10:03

🌿 Nature, Change, and the Power of the Past

The speaker emphasizes the importance of nature as a source of inspiration and a place of belonging. They discuss a series called 'back story to hope sound,' which is deeply connected to their love for nature. The artist believes in the power of returning to one's source for inspiration, whether it's nature or personal history. They also mention how certain things, like the formula for Coca-Cola or favorite songs, remain unchanged over time, suggesting that change is not always necessary or beneficial. The artist shares personal stories, such as the tradition of breaking pinatas in their culture and how it inspired their work, reflecting on the enduring nature of memories and experiences.

15:04

🎄 The Enduring Power of Memories and Beauty

In the final paragraph, the artist discusses the importance of memories and beauty, using the example of Christmas ornaments to illustrate how objects can carry emotional significance. They recount how their mother had to sell their Christmas ornaments when they moved from Puerto Rico to Miami, and how the artist later collected thousands of ornaments to recreate the memory and experience of those ornaments. The speaker concludes by advocating for the creation of beautiful memories, as they believe that memories are what make us unique and give meaning to life. They encourage the audience to embrace change when necessary but also to recognize the value of things that remain unchanged.

Keywords

💡Memories

Memories are the mental images or emotions experienced in the past that can be recalled. In the video, memories are central to the artist's identity and work. They are used to explore change by placing past experiences in a new context, thereby provoking thought about the nature of change and continuity. The artist believes in the power of creating beautiful memories, suggesting that they are a fundamental aspect of human uniqueness and art.

💡Nature

Nature refers to the natural, physical world including plants, animals, landscapes, and other features and products of the Earth. The artist sees nature as a source of inspiration for their artwork, often exploring its beauty and using it as a means of connecting with their audience. Nature is also presented as a place of constancy and belonging, offering a sense of permanence amidst change.

💡Beauty

Beauty is a concept that encapsulates a combination of qualities, such as balance, symmetry, color, or shape, that pleases the senses or mind. In the video, beauty is a driving force behind the artist's work and is intertwined with the concept of memory. The artist suggests that beauty is something to be preserved and that it can be found in the memories and experiences that define us.

💡Change

Change refers to the process of becoming different. The artist discusses change as both a personal and artistic process, using their past to provoke or reflect change. Change is also a theme in the broader sense of societal and cultural shifts. The artist suggests that while change is inevitable, not all change is necessarily positive, and sometimes it's valuable to hold onto certain constants.

💡Cultural Collage

A cultural collage refers to a collection or mixture of various cultural elements. The artist describes their mind as a 'cultural collage,' indicating a rich tapestry of diverse influences that inform their work. This concept is used to illustrate the blending of different cultural heritages, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, and American, which contribute to the artist's unique voice.

💡Syncretism

Syncretism is the merging of different beliefs, ideas, or styles. The artist mentions syncretism in relation to their cultural background and the blending of various cultural elements in Miami. This concept is exemplified in the artist's work, which draws from a variety of sources to create a unique artistic expression.

💡Heritage

Heritage refers to the traditions, beliefs, and history that are passed down through generations. The artist speaks about their heritage as a critical element of their identity and artwork. Embracing one's heritage is presented as a pathway to finding one's unique voice and creating art that is deeply personal and resonant.

💡Objects

Objects, in the context of the video, are physical items that carry emotional or historical significance. The artist discusses objects as carriers of memory and explores how they can be activated or given new meaning through art. Objects are also seen as a link to the past and a way to provoke emotional responses.

💡Consumerism

Consumerism is the preoccupation with acquiring material goods. While the artist admits a love for objects, they also critique consumerism by highlighting the emotional and memory value of objects over their status or monetary value. This concept is used to reflect on the role of material possessions in society and personal life.

💡Preservation

Preservation refers to the action of keeping something in its original or existing state. The artist discusses the desire to preserve memories and experiences through art, as well as the broader cultural practice of preserving objects and art in museums. Preservation is presented as a way of protecting the past from the erosion of time and change.

💡Voice

Voice, in an artistic context, refers to an individual's unique style or perspective. The artist emphasizes the importance of finding one's own voice in creating art. This voice is derived from personal experiences, memories, and cultural background, and it is what gives the artist's work authenticity and depth.

Highlights

The artist emphasizes the importance of beauty, memory, and nature in defining their artwork.

Memories are unique and integral to the artist's work, used to explore change.

Art should reflect personal experiences rather than being derivative.

The artist discusses the significance of having a unique voice in art.

The role of the past and history in informing and provoking change in art.

Museums protect art from change, unlike the transient nature of beauty.

The artist's background and heritage, including being born in Puerto Rico and moving to Miami, influence their work.

Miami's cultural diversity and syncretism shape the artist's perspective.

The artist's studio, 'Perfect Utopia', symbolizes a cultural collage and hopeful jungle.

The importance of embracing one's heritage, culture, and personal circumstances to find a unique voice.

The artist's realization that not all new things are great and not all old things are bad.

The process of creating art involves knowing the past and history.

The artist's childhood obsession with sandcastles inspires their adult work.

Objects carry memories, and the artist's role is to activate these memories.

The use of glitter and blue in artwork to represent the activation of memories.

The artist's love for objects and consumerism in their work.

The importance of nature as a source of inspiration and belonging.

The artist's belief in the power of memory and the beauty of objects.

The artist's experience with photo albums and their significance in their work.

The story of the artist's mother's photo albums and the importance of preserving memories.

The artist's use of pinatas in their work to represent the memory and change.

The artist's collection of Christmas ornaments to recreate a cherished memory.

The artist's belief that beauty is intellectual and embracing it is an act of courage.

The conclusion that change is inevitable, but not all change is necessary or good.

The artist's encouragement to create beautiful memories and embrace the power of memory making.

Transcripts

[Applause]

I'm a visual artist um I'm here to talk

a little bit about my artwork beauty

memory and nature not only helps to give

meaning to my life but it also defines

my artwork and you see memories make us

unique and I strongly believe that we

all memory makers and giving the

opportunity to create memories I like to

create beautiful ones

you see everything in my in my life more

or less memories permeate everything

particularly my artwork I take memories

and I use them to explore change in

other words I take the past and my

experiences and I put them in a new

context I take the past what doesn't

change and I use it to provoke change or

the absence of it sometimes I also like

to explore nature and beauty in my

artwork but most importantly I really

strongly believe that art should be

informed by one's own experiences not

necessarily the other way around

why because an artist needs a unique

voice and if you don't have that unique

voice it would show in your work

whatever you feel this the dishonesty

art for me like I said it's about

interpreting one's memories it's about

showing the truth that's in your heart

but it's also about being part of the

future before the future it's here being

part of change before changes here and

it's not like like actually some artists

are wired for this but it's not like you

wake up every morning I said oh my god

I'm gonna create something that no one

has done before change change change

there's a process to this and it's it's

important to know the past and it's

important to know history because with

some of some artists do

we add to the history of art to the

artists that came before us that's why I

think the past and history is so

important and talking about the new when

an artist is fortunate enough to create

something new we like to protect that

moment of that object from change

ironically it's the reason why we

collect is the reason what we have

antiques

take for example Picasso's dummies LD

Avignon for example last time I visited

in a museum the piece is still the same

exactly since the day we finish it in

1907 you see museums exist to protect

things from change unlike beauty which

is something that I also exploit my

artwork the beautiful demands to be

preserved it is the reason why art and

beauty go hand in hand it is also the

reason why we pay so much sometimes for

art and for beauty I was born in Puerto

Rico of Cuban parents I moved to Miami

in 1980 I'm made of all these things

these are places where things are so

many multiple meanings things are loaded

with syncretism I'm also made of my

heritage on my own culture Miami in

particular is a it's a great experiment

people there have been able to retain

their culture the melting pot theory

completely out the window it's a place

that forces you to beyond the present I

don't know if it's the light I don't

know if it's the bodies of water that

surrounds all of us but I do have a

friend that said that the best thing

about Miami is that is so close to the

United States

[Laughter]

the power to her it's a very interesting

place to say growing growing up up in

Miami in the 1980s um I had a studio

there was a beautiful thriving

underground scene in the 80s where all

the forces were clashing and I'm

blending and mixing and they're all

manifesting in a studio I opened calling

perfect utopia in Miami Beach and these

forces there was so much information

they were disorganized information

during this period this was the years

before Google existed and started

organizing our thoughts or memories for

that matter and I embraced all these

things I really embraced my reality my

mind became like a cultural collage I

like to say a hopeful jungle loaded with

oxymorons and actually the name of my

studio and perfect utopia and embracing

these things embracing the Caribbean Sea

embracing all of Florida from Disney

World to Ponce de Leon and the fronton

of youth the Taino Indians of Puerto

Rico when I embrace these things I found

my voice and not only did I find my

voice but I also found the new and I

found what should remain static and if

some of you are there are trying to find

your voice or trying to tell your story

or find your story I humbly suggest that

embrace first and foremost home your

heritage your culture your own

circumstances good and bad especially

the memories to stay with you those very

personal things that's very individual

things that stay with you I strongly

believe that your unique voice resides

there and from looking into those things

perhaps something you can see something

that can transcend and become Universal

I also learned through my art work that

not everything new is great and not

everything old

is bad and this first image here I think

it's a good example of using the past

and interpreting in a new way here as a

child I was really obsessed like

probably many of you with building

sandcastles with Dixie Cups as an out of

these are they're serious problems that

artists have Austin artists as a grown

up here I decided to build six thousand

six thousand sand castles actually with

my parents and some friends to recreate

that memory but I'm building them here

notice a child at random but as an adult

totally symmetrical and structure like

if I lost my innocence and you see

sometimes things don't change we just

present them in a different way we see

them in the different way this next

image here the objects on the Left

belong to my grandmother when my

grandmother passed away someone that I

loved and cherished very much we didn't

know what to do with her objects the

idea of this posted them wasn't didn't

even cross my mind

you see these objects had a lot of

memory and objects are embedded with

memory and it is the artists role to

activate this memory we collect objects

or we have objects for a different

reason sometimes it's for status value

sometimes it's just for pure value

social status excuse me but my favorite

is that memory objects are embedded with

memory and Western African cultures

actually they take objects into the

jungle at night and when a comet passes

they believe the object is activated

what I did here the glitter represents

that comet and the blue actually is the

color that evil can cross we still use

the blue color in some houses in the

South in the United States where you sit

in the front porches in the ceiling to

protect us from evil

these also celebrates objects I'd like

to say that I'm celebrating consumerism

here I can help it I'm in love with

objects

yeah I have to be honest the image to

the right oh by the way where you live

look around and you may see some objects

that you only keep them because the

memory that it activates on you they

speak to you and you speak back to them

the object to the right I have a symbol

in my chest and we talked a little bit

about syncretism we live in great times

I'm sort of like making up my own

religion as well very interesting times

so yeah we have the chance even for that

so much freedom so it's made about it's

made of all these things that I'm

composed of the Caribbean American

culture Cuba Puerto Rico Hopi Indians

and also on top of it

that was my self-portrait I'm throwing

my grandmother's ashes as a way of

honoring her past and worshiping my

ancestor this next image here

again I nature was very important to me

this is part of a huge series call a

back story to hope sound I believe that

nature is one of the greatest sources

especially for me and for mark I were

because you can always go back to nature

and the feeling of belonging is always

there for me doesn't change and perhaps

if you have kids around introduced into

nature very early on because as you grow

older it's the place where you can

always go no matter what is there for

you mentally or physically keep hearing

the artist once says the primitive will

always make us new it's like saying the

pass will always make us new or once you

find your source the possibilities are

infinite and by the way when I did the

series I put so many premieres in my

mouth I got some allergy a man let's try

grew up like huge there's like 20 of

these works but going back to the source

going back to the source nature or when

you find your your source I think it's

important because it doesn't matter what

you do well you feel this if you don't

have your source the dishonesty will

show in your work take for example the

factory a Pittsburgh New York all these

things reflect up Andy Warhol's art work

or for example today a an African mask

that made it to the hands of Picasso and

literally changed the way most of us

look at the world and those are great

things that we must know but those are

their experiences I have my own

experiences as well and they are unique

like theirs and you have your own

experiences you see change and trends

will always exist but your voice your

reality there's only one and that's for

me the source I think we're showing here

some images some videos of that inspired

my work vintage photos of my parents and

out of my work and some of my work my

parents didn't have much in Cuba but

they did have photo albums when they

escape the communist regime they were

only allowed to take five pieces of

clothes and a pair of shoes no photo

albums and the photo albums were very

important to my mom and so she conceived

of a way of having someone sent H photo

at a time in an envelope so she can

build her photo albums back again it

took her seven years in Puerto Rico to

assemble her photo albums in an illegal

way and I grew up fascinated by photo

albums then I was a way for me to see a

path that I couldn't touch and the

beauty that came from it I'm fascinated

by the photo albums in our pocket I'm

obsessed artists get obsessed with

things thank God minds are pretty

healthy

it's a thing so the photo albums in our

pockets in our smartphones why we have

them in and if if some of those memories

that are in your pocket stay with you

print them

something physical memorize them make

them something that perhaps doesn't

change it worked for me

sometimes this next talking about things

that don't change this artwork here I

grew up with things that don't change

our floats our cakes altars and

particularly pinatas Cuban Puerto Rican

pinatas you don't hit them like Mexican

with a pole where it's slightly less

violent actually we get we they have

strings beautiful colorful strings on

the bottom and when is someone's

birthday

each kid's receives a string and a

grown-up counts to ten and when they

come to ten we pull them the bottom

breaks and all this beautiful thing at

least I imagine them like that glitter

confetti toys can becomes beautiful

experience that stay with you for

anybody that is so they are parents a

and I grew up with that pinata year

after year and no pinata and I used to

brag about it all the time but looking

through the photo albums I realized that

the pinata looked the same all the time

so I confronted my parents again a very

serious matter this is what artists had

to deal with heavily brain surgery who

confessed that the pinata was always the

same here to you the pinata was always

the same and you know here was all along

thinking that we were middle class that

we have made it anyway the memory stay

with you is what I'm saying and the

pinata the memory stays with you there

are at the end I was able to learn our

work based on the memory on the pinata

I made sure was loaded with confetti and

things and recreated the moment when it

exploded into a huge crowd and he had a

lot of tickets as well inside

I used actually confetti something that

contemporary artists she not use but

that's what we do we rebel against it so

I say oh no so let's use it so this last

video

this last video going back to memories I

grew up assembling the Christmas tree

with my mother she pull off she will

pull out this this box is full of

Christmas ornaments year after year and

and it created a beautiful memory this

objects the boxes were open and they

were full of magic and beauty when we

moved from Puerto Rico to Miami this

time the photo albums made it but not

the Christmas ornaments my mother had to

sell them my parents for money

and again drama traumatized what do I do

I even have 15 I was trying to be a

problem-solver I start collecting them

at the beginning was hard but I started

collecting them obsessively and I have

thousands of them enough to probably

decorate I don't know 5 6 Rockefeller

Center trees and I'm still collecting

them it doesn't stop em because I wanted

to recreate the memory that this object

had in them embedded in them so I

created this this artwork with this

object that provoked change and the

absence of it and not only that these

objects are embedded with beauty besides

memory and I strongly believe that

beauty is highly intellectual and the

embracing of beauty is a sign of courage

you see beauty stays with us Beauty

hunters and I think objects when they

fulfill their destiny it is beauty the

result in conclusion not everything

changes you see postponed the Raven is

still the same look what happened with

the coca-cola formula when someone tried

to change their original formula

come on and your favorite song is

probably still the same water is still

wet the last time I checked we even try

to protect CDs from change drive n is

going to vanish you see the past is

alive and well in the present and we're

living in great times that we get to go

to the past and and change is necessary

and inevitable I got it I got to

pronounce that word inevitable Wow

so yes change is inevitable but

sometimes like I saw somewhere we you

know we're moving faster than evolution

and I think that pop culture technology

the news they're way too fast

you think not everything new is great

and we think we live in a world of

change we surround ourselves with things

that don't change memory experiences

they give meaning to my life they give

context especially I was talking to

someone earlier especially as I get

older they are what make us unique look

at the photo almost in your pocket in

your smartphone's we are memory makers

I'm given the opportunity to create

memories why not create beautiful ones

perhaps given the opportunity we can

create change if change is necessary or

perhaps interpret something in a

different way like I did with my little

sand castles or they will stay with us

beautifully memorable unchangeable

forever be a good memory maker because

memories will stay with you forever and

when you do it do it with enthusiasm as

a way of honoring and respecting that

you are alive thank you

[Applause]

you