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Background

Background

The Western way of life is accompanied by a massive number of material objects. In our everyday lives, we deal with an abundance of items, most of which are saturated with numerous social and cultural meanings. Some of the objects surrounding us are everyday necessities, practical items, or tools, but many are objects of consumption that serve the purpose of building status, strengthening  identity, and expressions of taste. All this evokes concerns about ethical and ecological issues, needs and waste. In addition, objects affect us in ways we are not always aware of. We do not necessarily notice them or think about them, unless they call for our attention. This happens, for example, when we move from one home to another. In SENSOMEMO we analyse, what kinds of sensory and affective experiences are intertwined with personal memory and how objects become meaningful. 

Theoretical framework

SENSOMEMO is an ethnological and anthropological project. The theoretical background derives from studies of material culture studies, and the affective turn. This means the taking into account of the intertwining of senses, emotions and cultural perceptions as part of human-object relationships. Our starting point is that objects are ontologically intermingled with people and tell us about the people who possess and use them. They also affect us as we experience them through our senses.

Research questions 

The SENSOMEMO research project analyses objects in the context of home. In the project, we explore and document objects that people find meaningful in different stages of life and analyse why they keep them. We also ask what kinds of objects are on display and at hand, creating the feeling, sense and atmosphere of home.