Project:::Belonging(s):::by Iris Marialaki
Belonging(s) – Romania – June 1-15, 2008
Beyond their useful nature, objects have value—a tangible record of some memory in our past or a representation of our likes and beliefs. Essentially, we identify with objects and they in turn add to our identity because we give them meaning based on who we are. As a Romanian-born woman raised in the United States, I’ve always felt sans nationality—not quite belonging to either “realm,” a sort of permanent state of limbo. Wanting to more fully connect to the Romanian side of myself and to, in essence, preserve a part of my identity inherited by blood, I will create an art book cataloguing objects of importance to my family members in Romania. These family members will be photographed with the object and interviewed about the object and its relevance to them. All this will give insight into the identities of my family members and perhaps lead me to discover more about my own, with the potential effect of doing the same for future family members. It can be likened to Jonathan’s mission in Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer. He sets out to learn more about his Ukrainian roots in order to get a sense of his own belonging. He finally finds some answers from the sole survivor of a once active village, a woman whose house is chock-full of objects belonging, long ago, to the inhabitants of the village. Objects outlive us and keep, if not our values alive, at least at sense of who we were and a clue as to who those after us become.
I never thought my own sister would start a blog! I would just like to add that in very base terms, I believe objects do not have value UNLESS one attaches a memory, feeling, or emotional record to that object. For in Foer’s novel, the old woman not only collected those valuable objects, but remembered every single memory attached to them somewhat out of a need to because she was the sole survivor of the entire village and because she simply wanted to keep those memories alive since no one else would (dare I add that she also felt guilty because she survived?) I ask you to continue this project to find out more about yourself and discover some type of identity or “nationality” for yourself. More importantly, you should create this art book for the rest of the family and for others in a similar position like yourself, wandering without a definitive idea of themselves or the world around them.
Iris? It’s nice to find you on the web, and your project seems to be nice as well. Are you in Romania right now? How are you? I missed you sometimes. Do you ever miss Bologna?
(forgive my english: I’m definitely italian)