Pieces of Me: Artifacts of Identity

The idea for Pieces of Me: Artifacts of  Identity began when I found myself reflecting on how we are often defined by objects that hold personal meaning. When Steve, a connection through a mutual friend, passed away, I noticed that several people identified his embroidered shorts as something that truly represented him. I was struck by how a single item could carry so much of a person’s identity. To preserve this connection, I photographed the shorts—lifesize—and shared the image with others who wanted to hold on to this fragment of Steve’s story.

This experience prompted me to dive deeper into the concept of personal artifacts. I wanted to explore how we can all define ourselves by the items that carry memories, emotions, and moments from our lives. Pieces of Me: Artifacts of  Identity is my attempt to answer the question of what identifies us—through the cherished objects that tell the stories of who we are.