Time Capsule — Part 1

Starting this week we will be working on the Time Capsule series. This series contains three parts that will allow us to explore the concept in-depth, and practice transforming our personal experiences into futuristic designs.

When I read the task description, I had flashbacks of other creative projects I completed in the past, and I tried to think of the element of time in these other projects. Human evolution has always been shaped by how we comprehend time, and it has fascinated artists and scientists for centuries. I am excited to take on this challenge, and I hope that what I do will be not only a practice, but also a time marker of my own personal growth.

Part one:

Creating a time capsule with objects that hold special meaning for us and select a narrative to tell the story.

1. COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card

For my first choice, I chose an object that is a strong indicator of the environment and age we live in.

COVID-19 was one of the most impactful events in my life, and I believe everyone has some stories to share with the next generation about what happened to them and what happened to the world. It’s certainly not an easy time for anyone, and I hope I’ll be able to include this period in my time capsule. One of the biggest efforts that people fight against the pandemic is the COVID vaccine. On one hand it marks the level of human intelligence and technologies, but on the other, it has divided the world economically and politically. Through data and statistics, people will be able to understand the history of COVID-19 on a broader scale, but I want to use my own vaccination record card to provide a sense of belonging and identification, which will help people grasp the historical narrative on an individual level.

The vaccination was the bare minimum an individual could do in order to continue a normal life, it was proof of someone’s personal choice.

2. Camera SD card

The second object I have is an old SD card I used in my cameras, and I selected it because I want to focus on the way it presents a creator’s archive.

Cowen is a ship mechanic and a lone traveller who has been all over the world. He has captured many beautiful landscapes, but has never met the right person to share them with. He died alone years ago, and left behind a box full of 8mm films he took during his lifetime. One day, the films were sold to a stranger in a flea market in Finland. Driven by curiosity, the stranger began the journey in search of Cowen’s existence.

The story is from a documentary called Iceberg Shadow(Jäävuoren varjoon), and I was blown away by it. Being a former filmmaker, I consider my films and pictures as some of my most precious possessions.

They mark not only the sparks of creativity, but also the passing of time.

It would be nice to have an archive of my work that can last forever.

Since I started my film career in the digital age, using a SD card is the most accurate presentation for this time capsule. One of the most crucial things for a filmmaker is always preparing multiple SD cards and making sure there’s enough storage space in the card, SD cards are as important as battery life.

Even though I did not continue my filmmaking career, I will never forget the things that inspired me and the creative pieces I dedicated myself to. Being able to create, and to make sense of the ordinary things in our lives, is something I cherish.

Film is a mosaic made up of time. - Andrei Tarkovsky

At this moment, I use this old SD card as the most ordinary representation of my creative archive to my time capsule. I have seen the world, I have been able to capture it, and I have told stories.

3. Birth Control Pill Blister Pack

The third object I picked is an empty contraceptive pill blister pack. As a woman, I want to use this pill blister pack to empower future women to take care of themselves and make the best choices for themselves.

I’ve been thinking about reproductive rights lately because of the recurring abortion ban in Texas and all the movements fighting against such restrictions.

Birth control for women has a complicated history, and its acceptance did not come easily. In the past, many people have fought and failed to protect the right of women to decide their future. As I hold an empty pack of birth control pills, I feel the weight of this object, the freedom it gives me to choose who I want to be.

In 2021, I acknowledge that contraception is still a taboo in many parts of the world. However, I would like people to understand that birth control is a matter of personal choice, not social stigma. Its existence has been impactful to several generations of women in this world. Moreover, I think the contraceptive methods available today are a result of medical science progress. Years later, when there are more advanced methods that solve the same problem, people might be surprised to know that oral pills used to be a part of daily routine for young women as contraception.

Check out my Instagram Post about these objects.