Art History Festival | Remembering Things

Everyday things around us shape who we are and hold memories of our lives. The logo created for this event by Artun Özgüneris is inspired by a ‘time ball’, or ‘ititamat’ of the Klikitat and Yakama people of the Columbia plateau of the Pacific Northwest. Young women would begin knotting dogbane fibres to mark important moments in their lives, be they joyful or tragic. Touching each knot recalled the life experience of its maker; at her passing, the time ball would be buried with her.

Join in our celebration of how an everyday thing captures and triggers memory; please consider sharing an image of a thing and the recollections it holds for you: your favourite teacup granddad’s gardening tools, or that fabulous outfit your roommate wore to go dancing. Prior to this event, you can submit your memories and images using this online form.

In this virtual conversation, Claire O’Mahony Chair of the Society will talk through some of their favourite objects and explore the objects you have kindly shared with the DHS team considering how everyday design, the things all around us, tell fascinating histories of who we are, were and hope to be. If you are content for us to do so, images and memories will then be shared over the coming months on the Design History Society’s Instagram.

This event is organised by our festival partners, the Design History Society.