Semantic Dementia (SD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of semantic memory (the ability to remember the meaning of words, faces and objects) in both the verbal and non-verbal domains which results from a shrinkage of the temporal lobes of the brain.
The initial problem is often with words. Sufferers may have difficulty remembering the names for things and may use words incorrectly.
Self Induced Semantic Dementia (2013) represents the artist’s reflection on the semantic and ontological value of some expressions typically employed in the romantic discourse, such as ‘for ever’, ‘always’ or ‘only you’ which are by their very nature illusions although we believe in what we say when we pronounce them.
Therefore an expression like “for ever” becomes, semantically speaking, very close to “never”. The artist analyses this unconscious phenomenon of attributing some words a false meaning and the temporal inabiltity to interpret reality or use words correctly.
In the attempt to realign the words with their ontological value the artist recorded herself reading a love letter she once received but every time she comes across the words ‘for ever’, ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘only you’ she repeats them again and again until the word is reduced to a mere and meaningless sound. The word’s meaning is lost and turned into a rhitmic litany that symbolizes the vacuity of the word itself.
Con la locuzione demenza semantica o SD (dall’inglese semantic dementia) si fa riferimento ad un particolare tipo di demenza frontotemporale il cui esordio è caratterizzato da una progressiva alterazione del linguaggio.
Demenza Semantica Autoindotta (2013) rappresenta la riflessione dell’artista sulla valenza semantica e ontologica di espressioni tipicamente utilizzate e appartenenti al vocabolario e ambito amoroso come ‘sempre’, ‘mai’ o ‘impossibile’ , per loro natura essenzialmente e necessariamente illusorie.
Il progetto rappresenta il tentativo da parte dell’artista di un riallineamento di tali parole al loro reale valore semantico a livello fonetico.
Attraverso la sovrapposizione ritmica e ripetizione ossessiva, le parole e promesse amorose vengono ridotte a una ritmica litania priva di significato o contenuto specifici, puro suono privo di riferimenti reali.
