Dalton Griebel

Topic Explainer

Exhibition

Dalton Griebel

Hindsight

Hindsight is a system for self-reflection. During the pandemic, we’ve all had time to slow down. In this time, I realized the importance of holding onto experiences. I was inspired to create a way to help organize memories and inspire daily reflection. Sometimes remembering requires some digging.

Mobile App

Interactive Poll

The interactive part of the exhibition was a simple prompt: "What is nostalgia to you?" Viewers placed sticky notes on what nostalgia meant most to them. There were 3 colors of sticky notes, each correlating to an age range. The results are that ages under 20 feel pain, ages 21 to 45 feel bittersweet, and ages 46 and up feel warm. The conclusion is interesting. From my sample size, the trend is that warmth replaces pain in later years.

Ceramic Mug

Ceramic mug that reveals design when heated

Artist/Thesis Statement

The past couple of years have been, well… a lot. Despite all of the noise in the world and turbulent current events, our memories are embedded in our minds. Sometimes remembering requires some digging. When COVID hit and we were all locked in quarantine, it forced us to slow down. A break from life’s hustle and bustle allowed for some self-reflection. I realized how important it is to reflect. I was inspired to create a system to help organize memories and inspire daily reflection.

Hindsight is a way to document and reflect on memories that are important. I find myself to be highly organized because it helps me stay focused and be more efficient. I have improved memory when I organize tasks, as well. Organization can be applied to each of our “timelines” as a way to help us realize our cornerstones and life path.

During my time in quarantine, most of my time was spent outdoors with my father. Working with him in the yard one day, I passed by a tree stump and pondered over the tree rings. What kind of life had the tree lived? What difficulties had it survived over so many years? This moment was an epiphany for the basis of Hindsight . Each ring resembles one year, so in a sense the stump was a perfect natural timeline of the tree’s lifespan. I translated this over to my project as a way to organize the memories from each year of your life. By viewing other users’ rings you are given an honest insight into a stranger’s life, allowing you to empathize with someone on a deeper level than a surface-level conversation. Hindsight was developed to improve self-actualization while simultaneously realizing everyone else has a robust, unique story.

Memory Cards