Portrait by RUHAMAIAH BRADLEY
Diaspora Stories
“Diaspora Stories” explores how immigration affects the relationship dynamics between generations and its impact on the younger generation. This exploration occurs between the smaller photo, an archival image of an immigrant parent, and the larger photo, an interpretive recreation of the archival image with the child. This image is accompanied with the child’s written reflections on their relationship to their parent and ancestral culture.
How can children of immigrants reconnect with a familial history and culture they are spiritually but less physically connected to? How does culture get passed down through the generations despite the forces of assimilation? How do the children of immigrants cope with feelings of cultural loss? By visually placing the child in the shoes of the past version of a parent, the adjacent images devise a visual bridge where the child can empathetically imagine their parent’s past, suturing the gaps which arise from diverse upbringings, traditions, and hardships across diasporic landing points.
Oftentimes, we let our family archives collect dust in the back of closets only to pull them out when we are grieving the passing of a loved one. Diaspora Stories seeks to honor our immigrant family archives and recognize them as a source of artistic and historic value.
This project involves a collaborative, reflective exploration into a family history, both written and visual.
Together we discuss and determine how we can bring out the characteristics of the nature of their relationship with their parent through the writing, as well as by including similarities or variations to the archival image in the recreation. For some, the creative process has allowed the children to feel more at peace about their past or present relationships with their parents due to the tensions that arise out of the gaps and differences.
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Presented by BKC & ASMP NY, The Bridge is a groundbreaking 16-week mentorship program for 18-26 year old emerging photographers and creative artists. To learn more about The Bridge, CLICK HERE.