Shelf Memory #5

     

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Shelf Memory #5

 

Often it's children's books that offer the sweetest insights. These two are my favorite so far. 

"This book belongs to Chris and mom"

"I loved this book for 10,000 days" [spelling corrected]

It brings me back to my own love for books as a child and the endless hours reading, organizing, rereading and reorganizing the ones I once treasured. It is my childhood love for books that has inspired me to write my own. Still today books seem to pile up in every corner of the house and sometimes I keep them, not for the words they contain, but because of their beautiful cover designs or illustrations. Children's books are my current favourite collectible and I hope my son grows to love them too, far longer than 10,000 days.

Project Description

“Shelf Memories” is a nostalgic photo series that explores the relationship between giver and recipient through the medium of books given as gifts. In the first pages of a book often nestles a handwritten note from which we catch a brief yet intimate insight into the bond between people. The notes, paired with a cover image of the book, reveal the giver's intentions; from early nursery rhythms and children's Bibles to cookbooks and self-help. The handwriting style and word choice often add to these glimpses of a different life.

No matter how important they were, the books are eventually outgrown and succumb to thrift store and community library shelves where they are found and photographed; the final resting place for many words chosen with care, signed with love, and given in hope. Relationships past and children grown, all that remains is a handwritten note, more often than not from "XOXO Nana & Pops".