Forget Me Not: Photography and Remembrance

Do photographs replace memory? Or do they enhance it, allowing us to remember moments that would otherwise fade away? These are two of the questions posed by this short-but-sweet""meditation"" on the various manifestations of photography as a mnemonic device. The book, which accompanies an exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, features 80 color illustrations of a range of photography-art objects, including lockets, photo""jewelry"" and even photo-furniture. By and large, the pieces are touching bulwarks against mortality. As Batchen explains,""these otherwise humble portraits declare 'do not forget me' with as much intensity of purpose as any pharaoh's tomb, a declaration made all the more poignant by the anonymity to which most of these sitters have been consigned."" But in many cases, the objects themselves are far from humble: rather, they are breathtaking manifestations of the ingenuity inspired by the effort to keep memories alive. Flat images made three-dimensional through elaborate framing take on a mystery and power akin to that of Cornell box. Locks of hair are the least of it; some of the photo-sculptures include spiky bullet frames, elaborate flower arrangements, tiny canoe paddles and even deer legs (presumably belonging to the deer in the photo). A series of Indian portraits, in which only the photographed face is left visible behind beautifully painted clothes and exteriors, are a compelling amalgamation of""old"" expression and""new"" technology. While the compact size of the volume is evidently meant to evoke the intimacy of its subject, the images are in some cases so intricate that one wishes they were slightly larger, but otherwise the reproductions are of impressively high-quality, accompanied by a thoughtful and questioning text.