On Longing Assignment

 

 “The body is the primary mode of perceiving scale.” - Susan Stewart

This is an old photo of me at my grandpa's house next to his bear statue that he carved himself. When I was young this statue always seemed like a tower to me, it was the largest thing in the world and it made me feel like an ant. If I was to go back to that house to see that bear statue at the age of 20, it wouldn't seem as grand as it was when I was 5.

“The souvenir speaks to a context of a origin through a language of longing, for it is not an object arising out of need or use value.” - Susan Stewart

I was born and raised in Florida, and never saw any snow growing up. I still remember seeing my first snow when my parent's took us to the mountains in North Carolina, it was so cold and yet so beautiful. Years later, due to my father being active duty army, we had to move to North Carolina. We weren't in the mountains, however this image is of our backyard during winter in Cary. I long to see this backyard again, all covered in inches upon inches of white snow.

“The souvenir reduces the public, the monumental, and the three-dimensional into the miniature, that which can be enveloped in the body.” - Susan Stewart

This is an image from the first time I ever rode in a plane. I had the window seat and could open and close the blind as I pleased. The moment I looked out the window when I opened it for the first time I felt a rush of adrenaline flow through me. I was miles and miles off of the ground, flying through the sky. The way the the thick clouds covered the water made it look like a whole other world above the Earth, and I was a part of it. Though everyone around me saw the same thing, this window was mine. My own little spot above the clouds. Now every time I am on a flight, I take a picture of the clouds to remind myself of that feeling.

“To have a souvenir of the exotic is to possess both a specimens and trophy.” - Susan Stewart

I was perusing through old photos taken with film cameras. This is a photo of my mom holding me on my birthday. Relating to the quote, I view myself as the specimen and the photo as the trophy because, though copies can be made of it, I have the original one of one of the most special moments in my entire life.

“The place of origin must remain unavailable in order for desire to be generated” - Susan Stewart

This is a photo of  house #4, our old house in Wilmington. This was one of my favorite houses because I met many milestones in this house. I graduated middle school, my older sister graduated high school, and my eldest sister graduated college all in this house. It holds many dear memories to me and the neighborhood was so quaint and serene. I wish I could go back to this house some day.