Abstract
This paper aims to explain the interdependent social-biological relationship that fosters evolving feelings of togetherness to occur during COVID-19. The research uses Dora Garcia’s art project I Remember Miami as a vehicle to explore the connection between neuroplasticity and collective memory in adapting to atypical ways of socialization. The methodology includes interviews from artist Dora Garcia that shed light on the artwork’s selection criteria, how it represents Miami’s diversity, and its intended impact. The foundation of this research lies on Paul Connerton’s insights on collective memory’s far reaching social-political implications and peer reviewed neurological studies by the Pennsylvania State University Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition and also the Montreal Neurological Institute Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery. There are four major findings in this paper, number one a new definition of togetherness due to the restrictions and confinement orders surrounding COVID-19. The second finding was the role of art in preserving collective memory. The third discovery suggests that COVID-19 may be positively influencing society towards a self-regulating, idiorrhythmic balance between coexistence and solitude. The final major finding was the neurobiological roots present in I Remember Miami.
Presentation
Research Paper