time

The representation of time is a recurring theme in art, which employs a wide range of symbols to make it perceptible to us and to remind us of the futility of our brief stay on Earth. Time is one of the phenomena that fascinates all human beings, for it is the “element” in which we live and the one that defines us. We find our place within it by measuring its passage, reconstructing the past in stories and remembering important events. Since all stories, whether of individuals or communities, are written against the backdrop of time, it is a subject of interest to both artists and social scientists.

	identity
	trace

trace

A trace is an imprint or mark that attests to the former existence of creatures, whether human or animal, and things. Because traces are survivals from another time, they sometimes need to be reinterpreted in order to be correctly understood. The vestiges of the past serve as reference points in the construction of individual and group memory. Whether in the social sciences or the arts, issues related to the concept of the trace speak to the process through which the past is (re)presented and decoded. By exploring the realm of memory, artists inquire into our relationship with the past and the ways in which we gain access to it by using what remains of it. In the process, we catch a glimpse of the extent to which it continues to act upon our own time.