Colours of Memory
Jaya Enami
ECU Award Recipient
The Chick Rice Award for Excellence in Photography – Winner
“Colours of Memory” is a collection of photographs inspired by my interest in documentary photography and the art of storytelling. Each image is a collage, intricately pieced together from photographs sourced from my family’s archive as well as from photographs I have personally taken. Through this technique, I have reshaped and reimagined fragments of memories from my life, giving them new layers of meaning and significance.
Through the process of merging, subtracting, and adding components within the photographs, I have crafted a series of images that not only come together as a whole but also tell individual stories. These photo collages serve as visual narratives by weaving together fragments of memory and parts of reality that once existed.
In my exploration of storytelling through the lens of documentary photography, I have begun a deeply personal journey with my project, “Colours of Memory.” Inspired by the profound significance found in the seemingly mundane moments of everyday life, I intend to capture the essence of these overlooked times. Because of my personal belief that it is within these fleeting moments that life’s true richness resides, I explored my family’s photo archive and my own collection of captured photographs.
Within these collages, the viewer can discover a mosaic of narratives, each unfolding a distinct chapter of my life. From the mundane to the significant, every detail contributes to a rich composition of human experience. While viewing this work, you may perceive a sense of a happy family; however, the reality was quite different. Nonetheless, I’ve chosen to rewrite those memories by crafting a narrative. I invite the audience to delve into the depths of memory, where the ordinary transcends into the extraordinary, tapping into their own memories and experiences. “Colours of Memory” is not only a collection of photographs; it is a celebration of the power of storytelling and the profound beauty found in life’s smallest moments.
