The Art of Memory | Carlos Betancourt | TEDxRVA
Summary
TLDRThe 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
- đš The artist believes that beauty, memory, and nature are integral to their artwork and life, emphasizing the importance of personal experiences in shaping art.
- đ Memories are unique to each individual and the artist uses them to explore change, taking past experiences and placing them in a new context.
- đïž Nature and beauty are recurring themes in the artist's work, often used to provoke thought and emotion.
- đŁïž The artist stresses the necessity of having a unique voice in art, which comes from one's own experiences rather than imitating others.
- đïž Museums are mentioned as places that preserve art and beauty from change, contrasting with the transient nature of some aspects of life.
- đ The artist's heritage, including being born in Puerto Rico to Cuban parents and moving to Miami, greatly influences their work and perspective.
- đ Miami is described as a place of cultural syncretism and a melting pot that has shaped the artist's worldview and artwork.
- đĄ The artist encourages others to embrace their home, heritage, culture, and personal circumstances to find their unique voice.
- đž The importance of photo albums and the memories they contain is highlighted, as they provide a visual narrative of one's life and history.
- đ 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.
- đČ 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
đš 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.
đ 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.
đż 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.
đ 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄMemories
đĄNature
đĄBeauty
đĄChange
đĄCultural Collage
đĄSyncretism
đĄHeritage
đĄObjects
đĄConsumerism
đĄPreservation
đĄVoice
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
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)