About
Artist Statement
History, while incredibly important, is a fundamentally flawed field of study. Regardless of how many historical accounts one can study, the full picture of the past is never truly and accurately complete, and oftentimes, only the voices of the majority get written into history. This leads to either an understanding of the past that is often dominated by the ruling class, or a version that only covers a small portion of the larger context.
In an attempt to showcase this critique of history, I decided to gather accounts relating to the year 2020. In particular, I interviewed a variety of individuals, asking each of them to summarize the historical events of 2020 in one to two minutes. Accounts centered around topics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in social justice movements, and one of the most important elections in the past many decades. Yet, so much was still left out. So much of the year’s history remained unaddressed.
After gathering these accounts, as well as found footage from news outlets, I compiled them into a program using the P5 programming language, an off-branch of JavaScript with a heavy focus on art and making. The interviewees cover a wide range of topics, yet through these accounts, so much history from the year is still left out. While experiencing the program, my hope is that listeners will reflect on what they are not hearing about. Upon realizing how much of the year’s events were left out, I hope that listeners will apply this experience to a broader context and consider how much of history they have not heard and reflect on why the narrow slice of history that they are familiar with is the specific version that has been taught throughout the years.
Documentation
Waiting for interviewees at Como Park
The table setup for Como Park's interview day
In the process of conducting an interview
A selection of photos of interviewees, including both on-the-street interviews at Como Park and face-to-face or virtual interviews with friends
A look at the audio editing process
Pop-up photoshoot during friend interviews
A peek at a section of code created for this project
About the Artist
Hello! I am Zach Dickmeyer, a graduating senior from Hamline University with a major in Digital Media Arts and a minor in Communication Studies. Through my time at Hamline, I have had a particular focus on audio, creative coding, and making in the Digital Media Arts Department. Utilizing these experiences, as well as the skills that I have learned through my Communication Studies minor, I hope to pursue a career in the world of podcasting. I have had an interest in podcasts ever since my dad introduced me to the medium in high school. Since then, podcasts have had a profound impact on my life, whether it be through Sarah Koenig's Serial introducing me to the depth of podcasting, John Moe's Hilarious World of Depression helping me through my mental health journey, Jacob 'Coby' Aloi's Slice of Americana showing me that young adults can produce fantastic podcasts, or Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History influencing this project. Outside of podcasts, I have an interest in all things media, such as music, movies and television, and video games. Thank you so much for taking the time to view my project and site!
