SMoCA Photography Exhibit

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We’ll give you a glimpse of the latest exhibition at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art titled,
“I Remember Not Remembering.” In the exhibit, artists use photographs and videos to tell the story of their families using display methods and media from days gone by.

TED SIMONS: THE LATEST EXHIBITION AT THE SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IS, "I REMEMBER NOT REMEMBERING." IT'S AN INTIMATE LOOK AT THE STORIES THAT BOND FAMILIES AND FEATURES ARTISTS THAT USE PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEOS TO TELL THEIR FAMILY STORIES. PRODUCER SHANA FISCHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER ROB MCJANNET GIVE US A FIRST LOOK.

REPORTER: IT'S NOT THE SOUND THAT ONE EXPECTS IN A CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM, BUT MUCH OF THE NEW EXHIBITION,

"I REMEMBER NOT REMEMBERING" IS UNEXPECTED. CURATOR CLAIRE CARTER SAID THE ARTIST MADE CLEAR DECISIONS WHEN IT CAME TO PRESENTING THEIR ART WORK, WHETHER IT WAS 16 MM. FILM --

SHOT AT SILENT FILM SPEED 16 FRAMES PER SECOND.

DISK PHOTOS FROM THE 1980S, OR SLIDES.

SOUNDBITE: BUT MANY REMAIN TRUE TO THE TECHNOLOGIES BECAUSE THEY HELP THE AUDIENCE REMEMBER WHAT IT IS TO HAVE THINGS PAST. IF EVERYTHING HAD BEEN TRANSLATED INTO DIGITAL SNAPSHOTS, IT WOULD VERY MUSHC SITUATE US IN THE PRESENT BUT THE REMEMBERING THE PHYSICALITY OF PHOTO AND VIDEO AND USED HOLD THEM AS SNAPSHOTS IN OUR HANDS AND PLACE THEM IN BOXES, THAT'S VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTIST PART OF THE MEANING OF THE ART WORK.
REPORTER: I REMEMBER NOT REMEMBERING IS AN INVESTIGATION HOW WE TELL OUR HISTORY THROUGH VIDEOS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

SOUNDBITE: THE EXHIBITION INCORPORATES THEMES THAT ARE REALLY TRUE TO ALL FAMILIES, LOVE, BIRTH, DEATH, TRAUMA.

REPORTER: THE ARTISTS BORROW FROM FAMILY ARCHIVES TO TELL THE STORIES. IN LARRY SULTAN'S CASE, 30 YEARS OF 16 MM. FILM IS SHRUNK DOWN TO 44 FRAMES.

SOUNDBITE: FOR HIM, LOOKING AT THE PICTURES IS LIKE LOOKING AT A DISTILLATION OF A WAY HIS PARENTS WANTED TO WRITE THEIR OWN HISTORY RAISING CHILDREN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND BUILDING THEIR HOUSE AND GOING ON VACATION. IT'S QUITE ASTONISHING.

REPORTER: IN A SMALL VIEWING ROOM IS AN INSTALLATION BY JANET AND GEORGE MILLER.

IT'S AN AUDIO PIECE IN WHICH WE HAVE THE ARTIST TEAM IS ALREADY MARRIED. TALKING THROUGH AND TRYING TO RECREATE THE STORY OF A ROAD TRIP OF ONE OF THE ARTIST'S GRANDFATHER THAT HE WAS MAKING BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO TRAVEL ACROSS COUNTRY TO CURE AN ILLNESS. IT'S AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION YOU GET TO SIT IN AND LISTEN TO BETWEEN TWO LOVED ONES, TALKING ABOUT AND TRYING TO REMEMBER OR MAKE UP A HISTORY THEY NOW EXPERIENCED THEMSELVES THAT'S PART OF THEIR FAMILY LORE.

REPORTER: WALKING THROUGH THE EXHIBITION LEAVES THE VIEWER SEARCHING THEIR OWN MEMORY BANK, RECOUNTING CELEBRATIONS AND OTHER MILESTONES. PERHAPS THE BIGGEST DRAW IS A VIDEO BY AVANT-GARDE FILMMAKER KAHLIL JOSEPH. JOSEPH IS BEST KNOWN FOR DIRECTING BEYONCE'S CONCEPT ALBUM "LEMONADE." HERE HE TEAMS UP WITH RAPPER KENDRICK LAMAR AND CREATES A VIDEO BASED ON HIS ALBUM GOOD KID, MAD CITY. JOSEPH HAS ASKED THAT THE FILM ONLY BE VIEWED IN THE GALLERY, SO WE CAN ONLY VIEW PHOTOGRAPHS.

SOUNDBITE: IT BUZZED FROM THREE ARCHIVES, KENDRICK LAMAR'S HOME VIDEOS, AS WELL AS CONTEMPORARY COMPTON WHERE KENDRICK LAMAR GREW UP, AND ALSO FOOTAGE FROM TELEVISION AND NEWS FEEDS SURRONDING RODNEY KING RIOTS. IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL FILM. IT'S TWO SCREEN PROJECTIONS AND PEOPLE RESPOND TO IT.

REPORTER: PEOPLE ALSO RESPOND TO THE DEEPLY PERSONAL WORK OF HANNA WILLKY. THE BACK STORY IS STAGGERINGLY HEARTBREAKING. ON THE RIGHT, A PHOTOGRAPH OF HER MOTHER AFTER A MASTECTOMY. WILLKY'S SELF PORTRAIT SITS TO THE LEFT AS THOUGH SHE WAS PROTECTING HER MOTHER. SHE DIDN'T KNOW SHE ALSO HAD BREAST CANCER IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH. THE DISEASE WOULD LATER CLAIMED HER LIFE.

REPORTER: I REMEMBER NOT REMEMBERING HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR CARTER, WORKING ON THE EXHIBITION FOR 8 YEARS. SHE HOPES IT WILL BE A TOUCH STONE FOR VISITORS AND CREATES A STRONG BOND BETWEEN GENERATIONS.

SOUDNBITE: I HOPE PEOPLE WILL USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE MEMORIES AND PEOPLE WE HAVE LOST AND LOVED AND PEOPLE WE NEED TO EMBRACE AND CHERISH MORE.

TED SIMONS: "I REMEMBER NOT REMEMBERING" IS ON DISPLAY UNTIL APRIL 30TH. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT SMOCA-DOT-ORG. TUESDAY ON ARIZONA HORIZON:WE'LL DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF NEIL GORSUCH BEING ADDED TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, AND WE'LL TAKE YOU INSIDE THE RARE BOOK ROOM AT THE PHOENIX BURTON BARR LIBRARY. THAT'S AT 5:30 AND 10:00, TUESDAY, ON" "ARIZONA HORIZON." THAT'S IT FOR NOW. I'M TED SIMONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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