EPHEMERA COLLECTING PARTIES !
This is an opportunity for friends and family to come share their treasures, stories and a meal with artist Tanja Hollander.
It’s a fun “show and tell” of objects that you may wear or carry with you, might sit on your desk or window sill, lie in a nightstand drawer or are stored away for safe keeping. Now more than ever, it’s important to highlight our commonalities and share stories that bring us together as a group and part of larger collective histories.
What is ephemera? Historically, the word ephemera is used to describe paper objects with no monetary value meant to be discarded, such as ticket stubs, posters and cards. Here the definition is expanded to include the broken watches of deceased family members, baby teeth, moments in history, mementos from vacation or a subway ride - all simple reminders of people we love and homages to lived experiences.
The Ephemera Project is a crowd-sourced archive of personal objects and stories based in memory, self-reflection, and vulnerability. At its heart, this project encourages and celebrates making space to value and listen to each other.
With your permission, your objects and stories will be on view on my website and potentially included in future exhibitions and books.
To participate:
Please bring 2-4 objects, not larger than 8x10” (the size of a piece of paper) on the days below. Tanja will be working with your ephemera and will give it back to you the same day. If there is not enough time on any given day, Tanja will it to return it to you asap.
Fill out this google form and release before you come or in person when you drop off your items.
To learn more about the project and FAQs. Questions: E-mail Tanja.
About Tanja: Tanja Hollander is an artist who works with photography, video, installation and social practice to understand cultural and visual relationships. For the past thirteen years, her practice has looked at the many ways in which we build community both on and offline. In her new body of work, The Ephemera Project, she is collecting images and stories that build an archive of the people we love and the objects that hold us together. She has collected ephemera with Auburn Public Library, Boston Public Library, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Colby College + Waterville Public Library, MFA Boston Teens, New England Arab American Organization, Safe Voices, The Telling Room and Waterville Creates.
“Choosing the items was really interesting. My first thought was “What the hell is ephemera?” But as I looked around my house I found things tucked in the most unlikely places. My night table, my desk drawer, even kitchen drawers held little bits and scraps from over the years. When I looked at the scans I was shocked. They were all so beautiful. I saw all the things in a completely different way. I was definitely nervous. After all, they are very personal. It’s about on a par of sitting for a portrait. It’s being seen through someone else’s eyes. But Tanja is so non-judgmental. Thank you for this experience. I would recommend doing this, partly to relive the experiences connected to the items.”
Ephemera collected from previous events. (Click on images to read descriptions. On mobile tap dot, bottom right)