Unkown Places
Home Away From Home
Memorabilia
The Sentimentality of Fabric
Lillian 2005 - 2025


Home
About Me
Contact












© 2025 Sarah Lillian All Rights Reserved.

Home Away From Home

Feb 2023



A Home is a thing to be kept close to the heart and protected no matter what. It does not necessarily have to be a location, but also can be people. It's where our identities are formed and memories are made. When a home is lost or left behind the memories made during its existence, good or bad, remain long after its passing. 

Memories are formed between the connection of the neurons in our brain. They are created in the hippocampus and then stored in three separate groups. Sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory. Although memories seem to be forgotten at surface level they can be easily retrieved when the right environmental circumstances are present. These circumstances are also known as associations or triggers, these can range from visual, smell, auditory, texture or taste cues. 


During the time that triggers are present, another process called reflection happens simultaneously. The reflection of memories is a natural process, either positive or negative, that individuals go through to change and adapt to their surroundings. This process becomes a necessity when the state of their surroundings changes rapidly, an example of this would be going from being around loved ones constantly to seeing them infrequently. Change is a difficult thing for the human brain to process and reflecting on memories becomes a consequence of wanting to be resistant to the change taking place. Resulting in finding any associations or connections in their current environment to find some sense of comfort anywhere they can. 





‘Home Away From Home’ is a project which addresses the concept of an artist's ability to recreate someone else’s memories and emotions through the photographic medium. Questioning whether an artist can communicate a part of someone else's identity, whilst staying true to their artistic style. It consists of two participants, participant one Ed and participant two Susan. The participants in this project have moved to London from their homes for educational opportunities. The memories targeted in this project are ones made with loved ones while living at their homes before moving to London. No matter where the participants are, these memories can be easily accessed when they are in the right environmental conditions. Both Ed and Susan’s memory retrieval process for these said memories relies on visual association cues.

The images representing Ed showcase theatres they frequent with their family; specifically the architectural structure of the buildings as this is something the participant is drawn to in these locations. The theatres visited during this project include the Vaudeville Theatre, Theatre Royal Haymarket and Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The memories behind these locations are countless hours spent with family members watching theatre performances. This is a leisure activity Ed has become fond of when they have free time between classes, in addition to this something they can do when feeling homesick. 

The images representing Susan display Hyde Park, their favourite park to visit in London since moving there. The reason behind Hyde Park being the subject of the images is due to the numerous hours they spent in the Botanical Gardens with family and friends while living in their hometown, specifically going on walks. Furthermore, this is their favourite memory to reflect on and find comfort in going to Hyde Park.



The positivity of the memories in ‘Home Away From Home’ is not reflected through the imagery. Memories are often seen in a positive light but in a moment of loss, it is difficult to decipher them in that way. 
- Lillian




To Top
Index   Next →