Unveiling Memory and Materiality: Sarah King's research into ‘The Lost Object’

<h2><strong>Sarah King at the Memory, Forgetting and Creating Conference</strong></h2> <p dir="ltr">In January 2025, Arts University Plymouth researcher Sarah King presented her research on ‘The Lost Object’ at the 8th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Memory, Forgetting and Creating, organised by InMind Support. This global, online conference brought together researchers, artists, and scholars from fields including philosophy, psychology, film studies, literature, and fine art to examine how memory is constructed, forgotten, and reimagined.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah’s work engaged with the conference’s "Memory and Art" theme, which explored how artists act as custodians of memory, using their practice to defend forgotten histories and reconstruct personal and collective narratives. She presented alongside leading academics in memory studies, reinforcing Arts University Plymouth’s role as a hub for practice-led research artistic practice.</p> <p>Through her research, Sarah examined how <strong>abandoned, discarded, and found materials act as vessels of memory</strong>, aligning her work with the conference’s broader discussions on <strong>trauma, loss, and reconstruction</strong>.</p>

<h2><strong>The Lost Object: Researching Memory Through Materiality</strong></h2> <p>Sarah King’s 'The Lost Object' originated from a residency at <strong>Brisons Veor, Cape Cornwall</strong>, in 2021 and has since evolved into a project spanning four years. It interrogates how <strong>objects, materials, and acts of repair become vessels for remembering.</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah describes her practice as a <strong>“scaffolding of memories”</strong>—a process of gathering, altering, and storing materials that evoke both personal and universal histories. She explains:</p> <p dir="ltr">"By working with materials that carry traces of past use, I explore the tension between care and rejection, preservation and decay." – Sarah King, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Fine Art</p> <p>Objects become <strong>vessels of memory</strong>, embodying both presence and absence. This resonates with Sarah’s belief that <strong>memory is shaped by chance, altered by time, and layered with meaning</strong>—a central concept in 'The Lost Object'.</p>

<h2><strong>The Uncanny &amp; the Abject: Making the Familiar Strange</strong></h2> <p dir="ltr">A key theme in Sarah’s research is the <strong>uncanny</strong>, where familiar objects become unsettling when removed from their usual contexts. Drawing on Freud’s definition of the uncanny, she examines how discarded fabrics, locks of hair, and bandages evoke both intimacy and estrangement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Abjection manifests in my choice of materials: human hair, discarded fabrics, and medical paraphernalia like bandages and acupuncture needles. These materials are both intimate and unsettling, as they once belonged to someone or something, yet now they are abandoned or out of place.” <strong>– Sarah King, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Fine Art</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah also explores Kristeva’s concept of abjection, which examines the boundaries between self and other, subject and object.</p> <p dir="ltr">By assembling and reconfiguring these materials, Sarah engages in acts of repair and transformation, questioning how we assign meaning to what is cast aside.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah’s research is supported by Arts University Plymouth Research &amp; Innovation.<br /></p>

<h2><strong>BA (Hons) Fine Art: Where research &amp; practice converge</strong></h2> <p dir="ltr">Sarah’s research embodies the core philosophy of BA (Hons) Fine Art at Arts University Plymouth—a course that encourages students to develop ambitious, interdisciplinary practices, blending critical inquiry with material exploration.</p><h3><strong>What you’ll experience on BA (Hons) Fine Art</strong></h3><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Interdisciplinary exploration</strong>: Work across sculpture, performance, painting, video, printmaking, installation, and digital projection mapping.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Studio-centred learning</strong>: Develop your artistic practice within a dynamic studio environment, with mentorship from active researchers and practitioners like Sarah King.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Cutting-edge workshops</strong>: Access specialist workshops in sound, glass, clay, 3D casting (plaster, alginate, rubber), welding, and scale sculpture.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Industry connections &amp; professional practice</strong>: Gain hands-on experience through partnerships with Tate, KARST, The Box, and MIRROR gallery.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Exhibition opportunities</strong>: Regularly test and exhibit your work in professional spaces, including our on-site Project Space One, the Studio 11 FOYER gallery, and KARST.</p></li></ul> <p dir="ltr">This course is designed for ambitious artists ready to shape contemporary visual culture.<br /></p>

<h2><strong>Start your own journey in Fine Art</strong></h2> <p dir="ltr">If you’re passionate about exploring the boundaries of contemporary art—where <strong>practice meets research, and creativity meets critical thinking</strong>—then <strong>BA (Hons) Fine Art</strong> at Arts University Plymouth is for you. Develop your artistic voice in a studio-centred, interdisciplinary environment, working across sculpture, performance, video, printmaking, installation, and digital media.</p> <p dir="ltr">For those looking to take their practice further, our <strong>MA Fine Art</strong> programme offers a <strong>research-led, practice-based</strong> approach, providing the space to refine your work within contemporary critical contexts.</p> <p dir="ltr">Join a thriving community of artists, makers, and researchers with access to world-class facilities and professional networks including<strong> Tate, KARST, and The Box</strong>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-fine-art"><strong>Apply now for BA (Hons) Fine Art</strong><br /></a><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-fine-art"><strong>Find out more about MA Fine Art</strong></a></p>