Memories that Come With Smell

I create photographs that reflect remembrance triggered by material memory associated with past experiences and sensory cues (especially olfactory). Through studio photography, I document family objects that have been passed down to me from previous generations as well as personal objects that one day will belong to someone else. Although smell cannot be sensed in a photograph, it can be implied through careful use of light, texture, and composition. The emotional significance of family heirlooms is going to be examined through my own family photographs which represent material memory linked to smell. For this series, I preserve the visual presence of these objects while honoring the sentimental value they bring to my family. I want to communicate history through close-up compositions, letting imperfections show through textures and forms. I use soft light to minimize harsh shadows, create intimacy, and enhance the object’s natural colors and uniqueness. I also employ direct light to increase contrast while still preserving texture through soft shadows. The Proust phenomenon is a vivid and emotional memory triggered by sensory cues which can involuntarily bring the past to the present in a person’s mind. In Marcel Proust's novel Remembrance of Things Past, he describes how the taste of “petites madeleines” soaked in tea brings back special moments with his aunt Léonie, as well as moments lived in French town Combray. Similarly, my series explores how memory is embedded in family heirlooms yet activated by the senses. I photograph heirloom garments, including my great-grandmother's one hundred year old dress, as well as my mother's hand-painted and crochet towels. I also photograph my late father's tools, vintage coffee and tea services, jewelry, and portraits. These objects demonstrate how ordinary possessions can accumulate meaning and carry memories. Ultimately, this series becomes more than a simple documentation; it invites viewers to reflect on their ancestor's lives and special objects that evoke family memories. Through the power of scent and recollection, these objects become carriers of identity and history, linking past and present across generations. Works Cited Proust, Marcel. Remembrance of Things Past. Translated by C. K. Scott Moncrieff, Random House, 1932.