• Instant Classic (2020-)
  •  
  • Family Fictions (2017-2020)
  •  
  • When a Stranger Comes To Town (2015-2016)
  •  
  • I See You (2007-2012)
  •  
  • Then/Now (2002-2005)
  •  
  • C.V.
  •  
  • Connect

 

Work Statement

Family photographs document reality…or do they? Revisiting these images years later, we often project what we want to remember, whether it really happened that way or not. In this project I have gathered anonymous photographs of family experiences, and by selecting and pairing images in a different context, give new meaning to both the images and the relationships within the frames.

I began this project by taking a closer look at my own family slides. In the neatly arranged metal boxes were scores of pictures from family vacations, birthday parties and playing “dress up”. I soon realized, however, that although I had a strong connection to these images, they were not “good” photographs – making them only interesting to my family and myself. Putting these aside, I wanted to look deeper into the family archives of others. I turned to eBay where I’ve continued to peruse thousands of individual slides from the 1950’s-1970’s, acquiring those which I find to be emotionally and visually compelling. What I’ve found there is the prevalence of images of vacations, train travel, and women (often nudes), along with a relative lack of diversity. Pairing these pictures together and making them large scale allows me to be the director of my own Hitchcock movie – selecting scenes which, combined with others, suggest a story line, which is evocative and cinematic.

These pairings often use humor to highlight the struggle and loneliness of managing society’s expectations while meeting one’s personal needs and desires; a feeling further emphasized by the juxtaposition of individuals in separate frames, or worlds. Many of the characters are women, venturing off on their own, whether it be the desert or the mountains, leaving behind the responsibilities of what’s happening in the adjacent frame; both physically and emotionally. It’s uncertain, however, if they will ever get to where they are going – or even if they know where that place is.

There is a subversive pleasure in working with other people’s family memories and manipulating their meaning by changing the context in which they are viewed. Ironically, even though I decided not to use my own family slides for this project, in the end, the individuals in these photographs reflect feelings from my own childhood as well as present day family dynamics. Which just goes to show – we are always close to home even when we are far away.



Respite

Respite

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2017

Taking Aim

Taking Aim

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Don't Look Back

Don't Look Back

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Breakaway

Breakaway

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

A Map Will Lead the Way

A Map Will Lead the Way

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Signal Ahead

Signal Ahead

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Sending a Message

Sending a Message

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Doubletake

Doubletake

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Pursuits

Pursuits

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Day's End

Day's End

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Opposing Worlds

Opposing Worlds

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Southern Pacific

Southern Pacific

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

The Grand Tour

The Grand Tour

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Powers of Observation

Powers of Observation

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2018

Tea For Two

Tea For Two

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

On Holiday

On Holiday

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

In Their Element

In Their Element

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Holding On

Holding On

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

A Tale of Two Seasons

A Tale of Two Seasons

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

A Life Less Ordinary

A Life Less Ordinary

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

New Venture

New Venture

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Destination

Destination

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2018

Unbridled

Unbridled

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

The Performance

The Performance

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Artistic License

Artistic License

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Time To Leave

Time To Leave

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2019

Best Practices

Best Practices

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2020

The Regatta

The Regatta

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2020

In a Lonely Place

In a Lonely Place

Archival Pigment Print, 17" x 47", 2020

Solo Show at The Danforth Museum, Spring 2020

Solo Show at The Danforth Museum, Spring 2020

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images and text © Liz Albert 2020