we used to swim here

“we used to swim here” is an interactive digital piece that reflects on memory, change, and loss in the face of urban transformation. The work features the phrase, written in lowercase letters, hovering in white over a photograph of ocean waves. On touch-enabled devices, viewers can push and spread the letters, creating ripples like those on water, only to watch them reform—an act that mirrors both the fragility and resilience of memory.

This piece is deeply personal, drawing on recollections from East Boston residents, including my own, about childhoods spent swimming and playing in the neighborhood before gentrification reshaped its identity. As activities like swimming became restricted and access to cherished spaces diminished, the piece becomes a metaphor for the way community memories persist, even as the landscapes that hold them are irrevocably altered.

By inviting interaction, “we used to swim here” allows participants to immerse themselves in the tension between touch and reform, presence and loss, connecting them to a broader narrative of change and its impact on shared spaces. The piece serves as both a memorial to what was and a reflection on how communities adapt in the face of shifting tides.