Zaima Ahmed

My work is a visual exploration of the concept of home and how factors like memory, identity and displacement change this concept. Through a combination of personal narrative, mixed media and installation art I tried to create a powerful and evocative representation of the complex emotions of absence of home, loss of connection and search of belongingness.

Utilizing techniques like photography, mixed media art and collage work I attempted to create an artist book with a photo album and family photo frames.

Although home resonates with family but this idea of belongingness somehow relates to the contentment a person can feel inside his own heart. The photo albums always evoke feelings of Nostalgia, allowing you to explore the power of memories.

This project started with me taking some happy memories from my childhood photo albums but it ended with me translating the deeper meaning behind those memories. The moments never end there, they keep evolving with your personality, heart and soul.

Since the idea of photo album and photo frames is to record and view the happiest memories, I wanted to create a photo album where I didn’t only record happy memories but the deeper meaning behind those memories, my actual feelings and thoughts recorded as for now. This album not only connects me with my family but my own self and makes me realize how important it is sometimes to recognize and feel contented with whatever conflicted emotions I feel. Home isn’t always a place to rest your heart, its sometimes just a place to rest your head, its a fleeting moment, a happy memory and a desire for belongingness that you might never find in a single place or person.