The theme of memory, which transcends disciplines and cultures, has long been a source of inspiration for artists. Artist Hammer Chen, diverging from Plato’s renowned concept of memory as a record of knowledge and past experiences, delves into its malleability and inaccuracy.
Hammer(Chenxi) Chen, born in China, studied illustration at the University of the Arts London in 2013. During her time there, she developed a deep fascination with printmaking and began attending workshops in various print studios. In 2017, she established her own printmaking studio, Wait and Roll, in Shanghai. Continuing her passion for printmaking, Hammer went on to study MA in Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) in 2022. Following her graduation in September 2023, her prints Between Us (2023) and Transmission (2023) were selected by the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair (26-29 October 2023). The unique visual quality of her pieces earned her the Bainbridge Print Prize at the fair.
Hammer Chen’s works are deeply rooted in themes of memory and travel, weaving nostalgia within cinematic scenes. Her work is a testament to the use of ‘memory’ as a dynamic source material, exploring how personal experiences can be artistically reshaped. These works transcend mere depictions of reality, instead representing imagined memories, intricately pieced together from shared human experiences.
Hammer begins her process with photography and video recording. She refers to these daily logs as ‘prototypes of memory.’ Following this, she employs photo-etching techniques to transfer these images onto printmaking matrixes such as copper plates or photopolymer plates. The imagery, once transferred to the plates, undergoes constant modification.
Humans try to resist forgetting in various ways, such as continuous writing, drawing and recording with cameras. While I began with photographs as my initial source, my goal was not to achieve accuracy, but as a proof, an evidence that the images from my memory once held a tangible presence in reality.
She views this process of image alteration as parallel to the reconstruction of memories. Through the technical exploration of the photographic printmaking process, Hammer’s work delves into the intricate process of transforming objective records into subjective perceptions, bridging the realm of tangible, physical reality with the intangible, personal landscapes of the mind.
Memory, in Hammer’s view, also serves as a vehicle that triggers the imagination. Her works Precious Fragments(2023) and The Light Collectors(2023) represent a reimagining of past times and spaces. The original photos become magically transformed. A moment from daily life is turned into a scene that never existed before and will never exist again. This blend of reality and imagination elevates her work, instead of recording the observed human experience she manages to capture the felt human experience.
The Transition(2023) series is an insightful exploration of the nature of memory, artfully blending video, etching, and stop-motion animation. This series represents a collaboration between documentation and memory, merging both rapid and labour-intensive techniques, as well as analogue and digital mediums. The final animations utilise etching prints as individual frames, infusing each image with a personal interpretation. The disjointed quality of these animations captures a duality of time – fragmented yet timeless – illustrating the inherent gaps and discontinuities in memory.
Hammer intends to engage viewers in a reflective journey into their memories.
Memory is always constantly evolving, and works about memory do not become static after the images are formed. Instead, these works continue to communicate with the audience, who will keep contributing to the complexity of open interpretation, by weaving their own memories and personal readings into the artwork. Just like memory itself, works about memory are dynamic and full of vitality.
