MEMORY 
CAPSULES

2024 RISD MID 2026

Insructors: Jess Brown & Peter Yadon

materials: unknown

Before smartphones and digital records, memories were preserved through oral storytelling—filtered by emotion, significance, and the natural limitations of human memory. These retellings, shaped by the storyteller’s perspective, conveyed the essence of moments, transforming and adapting with each recounting. Memories were alive, dynamic, and personal.  

In the digital age, we rely less on our internal memory. Every moment, meaningful or trivial, is stored externally—photos, notes, and videos— without the natural filtering of time. Unlike the curated memory boxes of the past, holding only treasured artifacts, our devices collect countless images and recordings, often forgotten and overwhelming.  

Project “Memory capsules” introduces five sensory artifacts—taste, smell, hearing, touch, and sight. Each serves as a tool for memory collection, encouraging users to step away from digital habits. Instead of defaulting to photos or videos, individuals decide which sense best captures a memory and use the corresponding artifact. This process promotes mindfulness and a deeper connection to the moment. Sharing these sensory-based memories invites others to interpret them in their own way, sparking new conversations and perspectives.


Note: Each capsule can store only one memory, which it holds forever, no matter how many times the memory is released
How do they work?
Sight:

Capturing most beautiul moment of the day

Look through the artifact’s small hole and rotate to absorb the visuals of a memory. Tiny insight bubbles capture these visuals. To release the captured sight, look through another hole where the visuals are presented in the form of miniature universes, encapsulating the memory.


Hearing:

My favorite sound of the winter season

Place the artifact in your ear and tap your fingers to capture surrounding sounds. To release the sound, rotate the object and listen through its larger radius.
Smell:

Dad captures the memory of his new born child

Rotate the artifact to capture a specific scent. To release the captured smell, shake or tap the artifact, allowing the scent to be released back into the air.
Taste:

Capturing taste of the worst childhood soup

Use the taste-capturing spoon to gather the f lavor of anything that touches its handle . To release the taste, try to eat something with this spoon, the f lavor will change with the first bite.
Touch:

My friend captures her cat’s fur 

Brush the artifact over a texture to capture its feel in a transparent bowl. To release the captured texture, place your finger in the center of the bowl to experience the memory of the texture.