How many of your most precious moments exist only in your mind, without a single photo to prove they actually happened? 🎞️
How many historical events exist, in our minds, as newspaper photos and documentary footage - giving too little space to the emotional, subjective recollecting of these real-life events?
In our Synthetic Memories chapter in Valparaíso (Chile), we wanted to bridge this gap by reconstructing a visual memory archive of Valparaíso’s changes and evolution throughout the 20th century, but through the real, affective experiences and emotions that the city’s inhabitants lived through.
In collaboration with Efecto Bisagra (
@efectobisagra ), we developed this chapter of Synthetic Memories to transform local testimonies into a shared cultural legacy.
The project relied on the work of students from Andrés Bello University (
@uandresbello ), who were trained to uncover the sensory and emotional layers of these stories. These memories—from soccer legend Elías Figueroa to local neighbors—were then materialized through AI, using technology not just to look forward, but to protect the data that makes us human.
The experience lived at The Kiosk—a physical, interactive archive created by República Portátil (
@republicaportatil )—where visitors could rearrange the images to co-create an ever-evolving map of the city’s soul.
The Chilean chapter of Synthetic Memories serves as a reminder that while technology usually chases what’s coming next, it can also be a powerful tool to reclaim our past and protect our human dignity.
Scroll through to see the city’s recovered history and a few glimpses of our interview with Elías Figueroa.
And a big thanks to
@gaiafilmss for the video content!