Róisín Mohally

Memory, Unravelled

Memory, Unravelled explores the relationship we form with personal objects or mementos that hold meaning in our lives. The work centred around an interest in how these objects accumulate sentimental value over time as they exceed mere function while taking on memory, emotion and personal meaning.

Grounded in the intertwined themes of memory, materiality and technology, the project explores how the tactile qualities of objects can contribute to these meaningful associations. Through participatory activities and material experimentation, the project considers how touch, texture and physical interaction can act as catalysts for remembering and reflection.

Memory, Unravelled is an interactive knitted e-textile that brings together touch, stretch-based interaction and recorded sound. Visitors are invited to physically engage with the work, encountering traces of memories left behind by others while contributing their own. As each person touches, stretches and interacts with the textile, memories are carried from one person to the next. Over time, the material itself begins to unravel and deteriorate, allowing the physical object to change alongside the memories it holds.

Through slow, tangible interaction, Memory, Unravelled brings materiality and technology together to create space for personal meaning-making and reflection. The gradual transformation of the textile mirrors the shifting nature of memory being something we hold onto, revisit and reshape over time.