Status Updates From In Memory of Memory

“There’s a memorial in Moscow.. the Solovetsky Stone, brought from..one of the very first Soviet prison camps..Every year in Autumn there is a special day when people gather..[and are] given a little square of paper with the name, surname and profession of a person who was executed during the years of Communist Terror. Then they line up to approach the Stone in order to say these names aloud.”

An accompaniment of the novels, poems, treatises, paintings, and film referenced in Stepanova's work would necessitate a second volume. Such a collection at hand would be worth it.

The detailed discussion of Rembrandt's many self portraits with a contrasted with today's ubiquitous selfie is thought-provoking.

Very much enjoying this book so far which brought a short Helga Landauer film, Diversions to my attention. 15 minutes. Collected film clips, maybe home movies? They are moments memorialized, preserved for memory. What are they to us who do not know these people or the context of the filming?

This is what Stepnova's book is exploring - what happens to memories?