These images are from family albums that were submerged in flood water at my parents’ house during hurricane Ian. The flood damaged albums contained pictures of family events, vacations, holidays, and loved ones. Aside from the overall large financial loss, the albums are perhaps the saddest of the damages to their personal belongings. The sentimental photos within them are moldy and wet and in some you can’t even tell what you are looking at. Others have heads chopped off or strange drips and shapes. And yet, I find many of them to be strangely beautiful.

Presenting these images is my attempt at bringing forth creation out of the destruction. The samples you see here are from a trip to Prague in 2005. The panorama is attached to the wall in a way that imitates ripples of moving and spreading water and is printed on a semi-gloss surface to imitate the way the surface of water reflects light.

This work explores the themes of impermanence, mortality, humanity, and climate change. The impermanence of things is strikingly evident in the pictures. Looking at them makes me think of my memories of childhood and beyond that are lost to time. It makes me aware of the mortality of my parents as they get older, as well as my own mortality. When I look at these images, I also see that they are symbolic of something larger. Scientists warn that extreme weather events are likely to become more common due to climate change. If we don't make substantial changes and act quickly, life on earth- for people and for animals- could be much more challenging or non-existent in the future.