family project
For over a decade, I have been scanning my family's photos and negatives using my scanner. Many of these photos have never been printed or seen before. Through this process, I am exposed to the family story along a timeline of six generations, discovering the wealth of events, encounters, and big and small moments. These discoveries fascinate me and provoke thoughts on various topics. For example, genetics - who resembles whom in the family? What is the source of the similarities between one person and another? Or, fashion - what was the dress code at a certain time and why did they dress that way? And how did they decide which photos would be included in the family album and which would not? How did this decision affect the construction of the family narrative and the shaping of memory? The photos and negatives lay in boxes, forgotten but preserved. Some are in excellent condition, some in poor condition. there are also rolls that were not shot properly, not developed correctly, or partially burned, as well as photos that were shot at the edges of the film, cut, and therefore discarded. Scanning allows viewing on a large screen together with the rest of the family. The joint viewing experience is very connecting and exciting for us. It helps us understand where we come from, the fabric we are made of, and thus contributes to the construction of our identity. As a member of a small family, one side of which was murdered in the death camps and the other side is scattered across the globe, I feel a sense of mission and commitment to do this - for myself, my family, and future generations.
