ABOUT

MEMORY FRACTAL IS A NEW INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION MADE OF PERSONAL OBJECTS AND STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE IN BELFAST.

Memory Fractal is sponsored by Belfast City Council's City Innovation Office and is a finalist of Augment The City Challenge.

1. CATALOGUE

FULL ARCHIVE OF OBJECTS

CATALOGUE SEARCH

BY STORY TYPE

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Vintage TV frame
Borrowed Magic 3D model
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BORROWED MAGIC

So—I brought a spoon from my house.

Or rather, the house that I’m renting a room in.

It’s my favorite spoon in the house. It’s not mine—just a spoon that was in the drawer, one of those that’s been collected over time. Who knows who bought it?

But I think it’s interesting—how, over time, when you're in a house that isn’t initially your own home, and that you're renting, you start creating connections with objects. Objects that make you feel more at home. That create a sense of: Right—this feels familiar. This feels comfortable and homely.

And then it reminded me of a spoon I had as a kid—probably when I was around three.

It was one of those spoons you’d get in a cereal box. You know, like a toy? This one was a Rice Krispies spoon. It had Snap, Crackle, and Pop on the handle. Just a plain green plastic thing, and the spoon itself—the ladle of it—would change colour. When you put it in milk, it changed from white to a sort of blue-ish shade.

That was my favorite spoon. I remember the feeling of eating with it—the way it felt in my mouth. There’s something really comforting and tactile about that. I just loved it.

My cousin also had a Rice Krispies spoon. It was the kind of object that made a lot of us jealous. And I was quite prone to stealing stuff back then…

I stole this spoon from my cousin Barry.

There was a big drama about it—“Who took my spoon? Who took my spoon?”

And I never admitted to it.

And then, not only could I not admit I took it—I couldn’t admit to losing it, either.

At the time, it seemed like magic. When you're a kid and you don’t understand how science works—this thing that changed colour when you dunked it into your Coco Pops—it was a pretty magical object at my granny Florrie’s house.

2. EXHIBITION

MIXED REALITY ARCHIVE EXPERIENCE

MEMORY FRACTAL EXHIBITION IS AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG AND OLD AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND YOUR OWN STORY OR LEARN ABOUT OTHER.

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3. PARTICIPATE!

SEE FACEBOOK GROUP FOR TIMES

Follow our FACEBOOK Group
Vintage camera

CO-CREATIVE SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO ALL COMMUNITIES AND PARTICIPANTS

COME AND CONTRIBUTE AN OBJECT THAT SPARKS MEMORIES AND EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT WHY IT IS STILL KEPT AFTER ALL THIS TIME!

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4. PARTICIPATE ONLINE

CONTRIBUTE YOUR STORY

Children participating

GOT A MEANINGFUL OBJECT? SHARE THE STORY BEHIND IT IN A QUICK VOICE NOTE!

By contributing, you're becoming part of a community-driven project. When your story is shortlisted, we'll reach out to you via your contact details to digitize your object for the installation and add it to our growing library of Belfast's memories.

People participating

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Anyone with a connection to Belfast—whether you're from here, work here, or have moved to the city recently—can get involved!

People sharing stories

WHAT TO SAY IN A VOICE NOTE?

It's not about describing the object—just share why it's meaningful to you. Whether it's a few sentences or more, your personal connection can bring something powerful to the project, and you might be surprised how others relate. When your story is added to the archive we will ask you to send us a photo of your special something! So please stay in touch here and on Facebook.

Community members

RECORD

UPPER-RECORD
00:00 / 05:00
PRESS TO RECORD

CREATORS

Memory Fractal's
Artistic Director

Katya
Solomatina

Community creative sessions
are prepared and carried
out together with

Beckie Stew

The mixed reality installation
is developed with technical
support of

Ivan Isakov

Online web experience is
developed together with

Natasha
Rukavishnikova,
Tatiana Schaunig
and Luke Lucas

CO-CREATORS

Whiterock Library Knit and Natter Group, Dee Street Community, Mexican Dance Group, Cultural Educational Centre 'Zhar-Ptitsa', Glen Road Community Centre, Belfast City of Sanctuary, Queer Space,

and everyone who came to our workshops at Boundary Brewery!