Memories Refracted is a three-part augmented reality installation that addresses my desire to blend past and recent memories and spatial experiences that shape my identity. From my childhood spent in Iraq, I remember visiting mosques with my grandmother every week. As she prayed, I ran around and played, captivated by the glittering, reflective walls and domes adorned with tiny, geometric shaped mirrors. These intricate frescoes, crafted from thousands of mirrors, transformed my reflection into a myriad of little pieces, and the interplay of light created a dazzling spectacle. As an adult living outside of Iraq, I catch glimpses of that same sense of wonder when I'm outside exploring nature.

Inspired by my blurry recollections of the geometry they featured and some flowers I remember from my childhood in Baghdad, I designed three ten-fold radial floral patterns. With abstracted shapes of flowers like myrtle (ياس), jasmine (ياسمين), bitter orange (قداح), and pomegranate (رمان), the patterns were then digitally projected onto the cliff walls at Rattlesnake Conservation Area. These unique walls that give the final pieces their shape and size are part of a hiking and rock climbing landscape I love to visit, not too far from my current home in Ontario.

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As I juxtapose elements from the two places I grew up in, I create a third realm that feels the most like home. In the process, I continue to reflect on my hybrid identity as an Iraqi-Canadian and the way the places I lived in continue to shape it.

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This project was generously funded by the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Ontario. The project's original soundtrack was created by Darkonian (click on the cover image above to listen).

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