Although physically gone, a deceased loved one remains present in places, objects and, above all, memories. Ephemera such as sympathy cards offer a tangible link to the dead, in a sense keeping them 鈥渁live鈥�. Once a memory starts to fail, the ephemera of remembering begin a process of neglect, ultimately leading to abandonment.
Remembering a loved one is usually regarded in a positive light. Forgetting, on the other hand, may be regarded as negative, associated with emptiness, failure, and sometimes even negligence. Who remembers whom and how long does this type of memory endure?
The cards and memorial albums in this display were found in vintage stores, on eBay, and at auctions, completely detached from their original purpose. As such, they represent both remembrance through memorialization and forgetting through abandonment鈥攖races of commemoration left behind by individuals and generations over time.
No longer objects of remembrance for the departed, the cards become relics of a bygone period, now museum heritage objects, privileged for their aesthetic characteristics over those that give them social and personal meaning.
