‘Keepsakes’; those objects we cherish, that can say a thousand words when you don’t know which ones to pick. From the love letter to the mixtape, I wanted to harness their power to capture and share the soul through this project, my own token of expression.
Through my writings, my music and my art I hoped to create a piece that brought together all of the layers of my personality and creativity, to say what I’ve never been able to say, and to explore how it is that I work so I may be able to bring my world with others.
An ambition of mine has always been to record an album, and I was given the push to make this a reality by Daniel Johnston, a cult musical icon known for his homemade records.
I have too compiled bedroom recordings to create my own mixtape of sorts, allowing me to share them with others, and is the ideal soundtrack for a project meant to embody the ‘made with care’ ethos.
With the album came the need for a cover, the design I settled upon being a photomontage of the origami flowers, made with journal pages, that I had displayed in my installation.
It’s bold, punk inspired colour palette made it a great image to use on posters and T-shirts; small details that help make it all feel real.
I have created a 24-page zine which presents a meeting of imagery and lyrics, building stimulating collages that are as visually exploratory as they are personal. Nostalgia, longing, heartbreak, passion, isolation; come with me.
Staying true to my theme, all of the artwork, text and found imagery was made or collected by hand, but then through digital editing I was given the freedom to bring these materials together in new and exciting ways in my search to articulate my world.
I hope that my work will be enjoyable and insightful, and that maybe it will become a keepsake of its own.
Mayar Mahfoud | Pre-degree & Foundation Studies
