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Remember Me
Jane Waggoner Deschner
Remember me combines vernacular photographs with statements culled from family/friend-written obituaries. Hand-embroidering text into photos intimately merges the two. The photos “read” the texts and vice versa, teasing pretension, tragi-comedy and profound truths about the human condition from sentimental artifacts.
The obituaries published in local newspapers and on funeral home websites are written by those who knew and loved the deceased. The writer often includes an anecdote or two: “He enjoyed a good meal and truthful conversation.” “She accomplished all of her dreams.” Snapshots and studio portraits are taken out of love to remember people, places and times. Embroidery is a decorative technique, and, when done by hand — stitch-by-stitch — an insistent, devotional act.
Obituaries and vernacular photographs have much in common. Both synopsize everyday human experiences — loving, living, making and keeping memories — and were created for personal use. While each is unique, they are generic as virtually everyone has the same life goals, aspirations, accomplishments, hopes, dreams, desires.
This project, ultimately, intimately, illustrates our collective narrative. And in so doing, importantly reminds us, in this acrimonious age, of our commonalities.
http://www.janedeschner.com/
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