Veiled Memory

 

"Veiled Memory is the culmination of four years spent exploring the complex web of family narrative, history, and identity. This project examines the relationship between truth and experience, revealing how memories—often clouded by loss, fear, and shame—deeply influence familial bonds.

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In this body of work, I challenge the notion that photographs and narratives provide definitive records of reality. While photographs are often viewed as pillars of truth, markers of time, or relics of lost loved ones, they ultimately serve as snippets of information that help us recollect the past. By altering vernacular imagery, removing details, and adding text, I aim to illustrate that both photography and truth are inherently subjective, shaped by our individual perceptions and contexts.

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Through this manipulation, I reference the messiness of memory and the nuances of recollection, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences with nostalgia and the fluidity of truth. The interplay of image and text creates a dialogue that captures the tension between remembering and forgetting, truth and interpretation. Within my collages, I allow fragmented memories to coexist and interact, emphasizing that our sense of self is shaped not only by what we recall but also by what remains obscured.

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Veiled Memory serves as a meditation on the delicate balance of remembering and forgetting, encouraging a dialogue about the intricate stories that define who we are."

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~Stef Shively