Remember Me When I Am Gone Away

When I was eleven years old, my younger sister Julie passed away. For ten years I have struggled to confront and understand her passing, as well as the monumental effect it has had upon my life. The feelings of grief and loss have become commonplace, yet over the years they have remained largely unresolved. Photography became my medium to explore these emotions. I sought to explore the effect grief has had upon my life as well as how it has affected others who have been through similar circumstances. I photographed spaces, always empty, that I believed correlated with a specific stage of loss: the hospital, the deceased children’s rooms, and my childhood home. The interiors all show an underlying feeling of absence. While there is a sense that something is missing, there is also a sense of hope. Although Julie will never be able to grow old, to experience life, it is up to the living to keep her memory, to make sure she does not fade quietly away. This project is not only an homage to Julie and her memory, but also to the living, those who are left behind.