What does it mean to forget?

Conducted in black and white, I examine how the living treat the tangible memory of death. In walking through cemeteries, I began to acknowledge the unseen and examine the definition of forgetting further. One definition of forgetting is the intentional action of putting something out of your mind, such as saying “just forget it” or “no need for an apology.” I see this in the way we tuck away our history, building around and in front of what was once revered and cherished. Another definition of forgetting is to stop thinking about one’s problems, such as saying, “forget all this death.” I look at the decaying mementos, cracked headstones, and overgrowth, and I wonder if forgetting is terrifying or beautiful. Another definition of forgetting is to neglect to do, bring or mention something. I was shocked by the scattered and abandoned headstones. I couldn’t help but notice the product of neglect and time in the way that nature consumes what is not maintained and acknowledged. Similarly, I hope the viewer gets lost in the details and the contrast of these images. Finally, the last definition of forgetting is to act improperly or unbecoming, such as saying “I’m sorry I forgot myself.” I see this definition in the wooden sign that marks where a set of families’ graves once stood; a physical apology for years and years of forgetting. I hope that the viewer finds this series and these images as unforgettable as the journey was in creating them.