Memory plays an important role in both the creation and experience of art. The artist's own memories can inspire their work, as seen in Becky Suss's paintings drawn from memories of her grandparents' home. Works by Josephine Pryde and Christopher Knowles also seem deeply rooted in memory, with Pryde's photos depicting objects that can trigger past recollections and Knowles' self-reflective art looking back on his own experiences. Viewing art can in turn evoke memories in observers, as certain elements of a piece may act as visual or tactile triggers for the viewer's personal recollections.

1. Introduction
Memory is a powerful thing. All of us go through life and accumulate a continuum of experiences that imprints us in someway shape
or form. Memories stored in our brains as either short term or long term. Short term memory is right off hand, while long term memory is
somewhat archived and not as easy to access. It is not yet fully understood how exactly memory works in our brains, but specific things can
act as triggers to bring up memories of our past. These triggers can be, visual, physical, or audible.
Art can provoke memory. When we view art it impacts us, and the way we experience it can bring up memories. The way we experience art
is different to us all, but the way we experience a work art can bring up memories. This happens when we view and interpret a work. Artists
also make art based on memory. Art is made by what we have experienced in life, and the memory of these experiences can inspire us to
create art.
At the ICA in Philadelphia I viewed the works of Christopher Knowles, Becky Suss, and Josephine Pryde. I viewed their works
keeping in mind how memory might relate to them, or be shown in them. Josephine Pryde’s work particularly stood out to me in regards to
memory. Her photos of her hands in contact with various things, seemed very rooted in memory. They had a very reminiscent feel about
them. Becky Suss’s flat perspective paintings of her grandparents home, shows things from the artist's own past. Christopher Knowles art
focuses on him as himself. Knowles work is self reflective and looks back at himself, which is very relative to memory.
The trip I took to the ICA was very eye opening. I loved the works I saw and I very much appreciated what they showed me. I was
able to see that memory surrounds art, and how important memory is as an aspect of art.

2. Becky Suss, 1919 Chestnut (Three Cities, The
Mother, Kiddush Hashem, Salvation, The
Apostle, Mary, Nazarene), 2015, Oil on Canvas
The flat perspective of this oil painting, feels
reminiscent of the artist’s past. The scene
depicts a chest in a living room of a house.
There is a feeling of antiquity surrounding the
chest. It feels like it is a treasured family
heirloom, passed down through generations of a
family. The painting itself draws heavily from the
artist's own memory.

3. Becky Suss, Kensington, Summer, 2010-11, Oil
on canvas
The winter scene to the left and the summer
scene to the right, give the feeling of a longing
for summer. These two paintings act as a
window into the memories of the artist. The
memories are of a yard and its changing through
the seasons.

4. Christopher Knowles,1986 Calendar, 1983-84,
Ink on paper
This work shows a passing of time. Itself as a
calendar marks the passing of time and events.
The subject matter of the work relates heavily to
memory. The scenes shown in the grid of the
calendar are like snapshots of experiences at
different times in Knowles life. The abstract
figures feel like specific things that have made
an impact on the artist.

5. Josephine Pryde, Gift Für Mich, Galerie Neu
Christmas, 2014, C-print
In this photo, the subject is holding onto a
piece of driftwood. The way it is held and shot
make it feel like an artifact. Something that
was once found and has significance to
someone. This artifact seems to be a key to
unlock old memories from where it first came
from.

6. Josephine Pryde, A Cone, 2015, C-print
The Pinecone in this photo can also be viewed
as an artifact. The way it's being held and
touched is remindful of how a simple object
can spark memories. Objects can act as keys
to memories, for their visual appearance, the
way they feel when touched, or even how they
smell.