Colors of Nostalgia Burning Man Honoraria project

About the Art Installation

Colors of Nostalgia is a vintage photo booth structure with decorated spaces designed by Alena Starostina and Alyssa VanZandt. The purpose is to experience different time periods that display photos, vintage pieces, artifacts and items related to specific time frames. It has four entrances to select from in the Photo Booth time periods 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s.

 

Philosophy of Piece

Even though memories are never an exact representation of the past they are dynamic and always changing fascinating journeys. We read in articles that we have to feel present, live in the moment. It often appears that living in the moment is the most difficult thing to do as someone may have stronger sentimental longings or wistful affections for the past.

 

As time passes our perception of past changes, becomes more beautiful, significantly powerful, gains a magical appearance. These images as framed art pieces decorate walls of our consciousness filling our lives with bittersweet emotions as we replay these meaningful moments in our minds. These excessively sentimental feelings typically make us more optimistic and inspired about the future. Nostalgia triggers something in the brain to create the illusion of a time travel. Our nostalgic reflections buffer our existential experiences as we willingly book a trip through time and our pleasurable memories seem to always meet us there.

 

Interactivity

This photo booth is a vintage photo kiosk that contains interactive self-operated displays with vintage cameras and film processors. The purpose is to create a unique environment with sentimental longing for the past by surrounding a person with vintage objects, decorative pieces, sounds and smells from a specific time period. The displays are designed to create an emotional drift that has broadened to the notion of longing for or missing aspects of a unique experience from the past.

 

Each entrance will have stylized spaces according to the time period (1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s).

 

For instance, 50s timeframe will have interactive vintage objects such as a phonograph, rotary telephone, books and newspapers, calendars, vintage garment etc. 60s timeframe display will have retro tv, radios, calculators, tape cassettes, record players, video camera, as well as hippie fashion clothing items, dry flowers, smell of cannabis; books, posters, postcards promoting love, peace, psychedelic drugs.

 

Radical Inclusion, Diversity and Equity

In this art installation we'll have photo/video collages displayed inside of the photo both to represent a period of time from the past and to create a nostalgic feelings from that decade. We'll include photographs and videos capturing happy moments of people from mixed racial backgrounds, different age groups, different genders, sexual orientations and identities, physical abilities, religious beliefs, various social & cultural categories. The purpose is to understand & embrace the dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

 

"Colors of Nostalgia" represents the full spectrum of colors that constitutes conceptually a broad spectrum of diversity in demographic and philosophical differences of groups and individuals that encompasses acceptance and respect.

 

Be Included!

Upload your memories of one of these decades (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s) to our project webpage to be printed and displayed inside of the art piece. 

 

Thanks in advance for your contribution to our project, it means so much to us!

About the Artists

Alena Starostina was born and raised in Ukraine and moved to the US to pursue her dreams. Her sculpture "Dream Boat" installed on De Anza campus, and art pieces were displayed at Burning Man 2018, 2019. Her art was purchased by Euphrat museum, Cupertino. Alena's artistic style approaches the beauty of nature through a prism of different styles, forms, and textures. She's a winner of international art/design competitions "Image & Form", Saint Petersburg.

Alyssa VanZandt is a mixed media sculptor living and working in the bay area. A Chico State alumni, welder and woodworker, she enjoys many forms of art, particularly large-scale installations.

 

More information about Eastern Promises: Eastern Promises' overall goal is to assist underserved low-income families, individuals, and organizations to take advantage of the social, economic and cultural benefits of advanced technology, equipment, and the internet.