The Memory of a Goldfish

I have liken to this phrase a loooooong time ago.

High school, the 90s. I was in a funny mood and thought to remind a guy I barely knew that he had forgotten about my birthday. Instead of snorting, the guy thought of a funnier way of having me on a bit and started hugging me, moaning: "Oh my God, you're SO right, I am SO SO sorry...I have the memory of a goldfish!"

He doesn't know that this sentence is now my patented property, used and abused countless times. Especially because I do have the memory of a goldfish. Meaning: I forget stuff all the time (not the important stuff, though!). 

Here is a fresh, funny example.

Last night, I was in conversation on Skype with Silvia Iorio:

Si - So, did you like Stockholm?

sy - Very much!

Si - Did you go to Fancy Space Of Which I Don't Remember The Name Right Now?

sy - Er...no, I didn't know about it...but it must have been closed, everything was shut for the end of the summer...

Si - Ah, shame!

sy - But I did go to the Moderna Museet.

Si - Oh, did you?

sy - Yeah, the permanent collection is very interesting. For example, I saw a video by an artist I didn't know, Martha Rosler...

Si - (makes a face)

sy - What?

Si - But it's the same artist!

sy - The same artist of what?

Si - Come on, don't you remember? I have brought you an artwork from Basel* by Martha Rosler!

sy - (blushing from head to toe) Oh...ah...is it...her?

Si - YES! (laughs)

sy - Er...really? Let me just check...

Si - (continues laughing)

sy - (fidgets with a rather torn picture representing three egg-shape forms in various colours. Checks the name behind. Capitulates) Ah, OK...didn't make the connection...

Si - (affectionately) You are terrible!

sy - Sorry...I have the memory of a goldfish.


> Writing down every single name of the artists you don't know and then forgetting them anyway: Curator's Stuff.

* We are talking about ART PARCOURS, organised this year at 41 Art Basel. Martha Rosler presented Fair Trade Garage Sale at the Museum der Kulturen: inspired from the American "garage sale", where one person's junk is another person's treasure, everything presented by the artist was for sale and the prices could be negotiated.