Object Permanence
Portland State University
Smith Memorial Student Union
May 27 - 29, 10-5 daily
The project takes its name from a term coined by scientist Jean Piaget in the 1970s. He did a series of experiments with infants in which he took an object they had been holding and hid it from view. At eight or nine months, the infants lacked the cognitive/motor skills to recover the object on their own, but Piaget found there was a clear reaction to the fact that the object was now missing: infants were distressed and confused. Piaget concluded that humans from a very early age form an attachment to objects, and remember them after they are gone.
This project poses the question: What objects in your life are meaningful to you, and why?
Object Permanence at Wikipedia
The Object Mobile
The Object Mobile is constructed of wood and features plexi-glass windows that exhibit precious objects and the story behind each, contributed by PSU students. The Object Mobile will act as mobile gallery but also a collection receptacle: it is outfitted with 2 antique typewriters that fold out on platforms, and two opposing platforms with art supplies and paper. The Object Mobile will be stationed in front of the main entrance to the Smith Student Union Building.
PSU students passing by will be able to pause and consider their relationship to the precious objects in their lives. Using one of the typewriters or some drawing materials, they will respond on paper to this prompt: Describe an object that has meaning to you. Why is it meaningful? These responses will be gathered and assembled into a collection, available on-line.