Traces of Things That Almost Died

This installation explores the remnants of time—traces that have nearly disap- peared but continue to linger in fragile and incomplete forms. A recording is always of a time that has passed, but if that recording keeps returning, alive again, is it still absent, or somehow present? The tape is cut to a specific length and connected into a loop, allowing a fixed span of time to repeat endlessly. These loops continuously recall fading fragments of sound. A tape loop is not simply a device for repetition, but a medium through which time is wound, unwound, and folded back on itself. Repetition does not rec- reate a moment, but instead amplifies what is slipping away. The system captures not only intentional voices, but also ambient sounds, background noise, and subtle vibrations, suggesting that space is not passive but a site where sound accumulates and resonates. The structure consists of semicircular tape loops, each connected to two cassette recorders—one for capturing sound in real time and the other for playing it back. The sound played from the second recorder is then recorded by the next loop’s re- corder, continuing its movement through the system. As playback is passed along, the sound gradually transforms. With each repetition, it becomes more fragmented and distant. As sound repeats and travels, the loops begin to form a dialogue with one another, shaping a shared presence in the space. This progression reflects the erosion of memory and presence as they move through time and space.