The Vanishing Narrative

The Vanishing Narrative

Gutierrez, Terese

My work explores the fragility of familial history as my grandmother ages and begins to lose her memory. To convey this, I use old family photographs, once rich in detail, as a metaphor of what is lost. The central technique of this project involves the intentional cropping and editing of these photos to replicate memory erosion. This redaction highlights how the loss of a narrative prevents these specific memories from being passed down, leaving a void for future generations, including myself. Ultimately, by dismantling these photographs, I am confronted with the painful reality that my grandmother’s identity and story are becoming as fractured and manipulated as the images I present.

2026