What We Leave Behind

For centuries, we have passed down our belongings to be remembered and connect with our families. The objects we own are remnants of those who left them and a small yet significant reminder of their existence and importance. As we have moved into a digitalized age with everything at our fingertips, we have less need for physical media. Our furniture and clothes are no longer made to last for several decades, and the images on our phones can be corrupted and lost instantly. Although advanced technology has provided us with new opportunities, I wonder how we will connect with our descendants. How will we show our importance to those who will follow us if we have nothing to pass down in the first place?

I’ve always been fascinated by how much an object can say about someone’s life. The small details show us the love they contain and the weight of time, providing us a glimpse of places long gone. Even when someone is not next to you, simply holding their photo or using their furniture allows you to feel closer. What was once theirs is now yours, and that can fill a void that no digital media can. I’ve always questioned what we will leave, since we use digital media more often due to convenience or lack of physicality, in a way we are stripping our descendants of ever holding a piece of who we are.

What We Leave Behind combines found objects with digital techniques to show how our belongings create a physical connection. While the works contain a warm feeling to represent human connection, they are also a constant reminder that these objects are no longer in the hands of their family. Found objects are used to incorporate and investigate the belongings of others. I use a mix of materials found in antique shops and from my family to compare what people of the past have left behind.

The people and places in the photos and those who wore the clothes are now gone. Many without a name to match their face are long forgotten by those who were meant to carry on their legacies. This work functions as a final spotlight, a curtain call to those who are no longer here. Although many are forgotten, I am giving them a space to not only be a person again but a work of art.