Belonging - What We Leave Behind

Always having an interest in family history and memory, I have concentrated my work on my roots, culturally and artistically.  Most of my recent work centers around the culture and my familiar roots in the Midwest, particularly western Iowa.  This project entitled  “Belonging” relates family photographs to objects that existed during their lifetime.  It is a collaboration with the past, telling their stories through their personal objects, objects that still exist in my possession today.

The objects are shown in connection to the person, but also in connection to the culture, family, and home.  It is part me, part object and part family member and memories.

The work matches old photographs, some of which are over 100 years old, of my relatives with current photographs of their personal possessions which have been re-photographed by me.  All of these personal objects have been in my possession and were once touched and used by that relative. 

This duo print technique of putting an old photograph next to a new photograph represents the idea of reflections from the old to the new……memories that bind together the past to present.

The project resulted in a book in which written memories are interspersed between the photographs ~ written memories by people who knew these folks so many years ago.  Occasionally there will be a letter or poem written by the relative.  Six photographic representations are here.  There are about 20 in the book.

When creating this project, I reflected on the impermanence  of digital technology versus the permanence of older photographs and the keepsakes, some over 100 years old.

All of the people represented in photographs here are deceased.