About
Tracing Decay: A Memory Reload
The Theories of Forgetting suggest that memories fade and disappear over the natural passage of time, especially if they are not accessed frequently. An approach to forgetting assumes that memories leave a trace in the brain, in the form of physical and/or chemical change in the nervous system.
The Trace Decay Theory states that forgetting relates to the length of time between learning and recall. The longer the time, the more traces of the memories decay, and as a consequence more information is forgotten. While the Interference Theory states that forgetting occurs due to newly acquired memories between learning and recall, thus distorting or disrupting older memories.
Tracing Decay is a project that aims at reloading memory of impactful art, that countered decay and interference, proving that forgetting was not necessarily a deconstructive state for the sake of pure entropy. An invitation to explore, revisit and reinvent profound visions in a new context; one that embarks on existing works by artists willing to embrace the change of state. A chance for self-rediscovery and representation beyond brick and mortar; where previously hosted projects in physical space can now become a part of a virtual story. Creating unique scenarios that explore the potential of Virtual Reality as an immersive medium, with the intent to enhance the audience experience.
Featuring selected projects by Barbara Graf, Huda Lutfi, Daniel Reidy and featuring Greg Pond. Produced by Art in Reverb, in collaboration with Womb Tech. Curated and directed by Nagla Samir.
AIR: Partners in Art
Art in Reverb is a collaborative creative initiative that attempts to open new doors and create new opportunities for artists. AIR is an inclusive platform that values the various creative disciplines and styles under the broad umbrella of art. While some may think that art must suffer in consequence of economic recession, to AIR it comes as a necessity that artists and the creative industry collaborate; in aims of exploring new means of reaching out, and creating momentum.
The main aim of the initiative is to recruit and collaborate with artists with genuine vision and unique talent to endorse and promote. We attempt to provide every artist, rising or established, the benefit of exposure. AIR’s Research and Development team is constantly exploring and testing methods of expansion and outreach.
We also help interested individuals in acquiring genuine art to build their collections, and introduce new possibilities for art patrons to invest in various avenues of art, while extending long term relationships through constant art advisory and consultation.
AIR’s curated projects aim at pushing boundaries of genre. We have tested the possibilities of urban design as an environment for exhibiting art, with conceptual fashion, with electronic gallery spaces, and adding dimensions of form and movement to images. Our publications revolve around the continuously evolving nature of the art scene. Through selective placement drawn from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The Curator
Nagla Samir is an Associate Professor of Practice for the Department of the Arts at The American University in Cairo. She obtained her PhD in Visual Communication 2002, from the Faculty of Applied Arts, Cairo. She holds an MFA in Advertising and BSC in Graphic Design.
Samir worked as a graphic designer then creative director since graduation until 2002, when she joined academia. Teaching in several institutions, she has joined the launching program of graphic design at AUC 2013 as an adjunct faculty, then as a full-time faculty in 2016.
She leads a parallel career as an interdisciplinary media artist and curator. She founded and directed Passage 35 for Contemporary Art 2006-2009, directed the Sharjah Art Gallery 2010 - 2011, and is currently an independent international curator. She is the co-founder and director of Art In Reverb Creative collaborative.
As a curator, her projects are interdisciplinary, blurring boundaries between art and design. In 2008 she curated IMAFY; Egypt’s first international forum for media arts for youth. Among her international curated exhibitions are: “Liberation: A Process Review” 2012, Havremagasinet, Boden, Sweden; “Beyond Classification” 2014, Sewanee University, Tennessee, USA; “Debunking Orientalism” 2016, The Untitled Gallery, New York, USA.
The majority of her recent curatorial projects are focused on revisiting and documenting historic and contemporary work by veteran artists and designers from the Arab world. She co-curated the design retrospectives of Helmi ElTouni, 2014. She was among the curatorial team for “When Art Meets Liberty: The Egyptian Surrealism” 2016-2017, Cairo, Egypt- Seoul, Korea. She curated design retrospectives of Azza Fahmy 2016, and Mouneer Elshaarani 2018.
Her projects are usually supported by authored and co-authored publications. Among her published research are “The Ripple Effect: Azza Fahmy”, “Red Dots: No Red Lines” and “Mounir Canaan Traverse: Ventures Across Disciplines” 2020.