Oil Paint, Framed Mirror
14″ x 14″
2019
This piece captures the fragile nature of memory through the restoration of an old, fading photograph of a girl. She came to me only valued for her frame, but something in her image was much more compelling. The harsh illumination of the lamp beside her dissolved her into sepia tones, capturing the inevitability of loss. Surrounding her, plants stretch out to hold onto her as she withers away, reflecting our own struggle to preserve what we cherish. In this balance of preservation and decay, we are reminded that while we hope our efforts to prevent loss could be endless, this girl stands as a proof that there is a limit. When will our limits be reached?
Overlooked, offered for just a dollar, her value faded as the sepia tones enveloped her. Only her frame kept her from being discarded while her image deteriorated. Yet, her essence lingered long enough for me to see her, to decide to keep her. She reminds me of when I was alone, when I was only admired for something outside of me. She is a testament to how, more often than not, we are unnoticed and easily lost. In the end, if no one takes the time to recognize us and hold us close, we too will fade away.
Rachael Kucken 