'Souvenirs' - Emily ten Raa

In Australian country towns there is usually to be found the petrol station, the supermarket and the pub. In the U.S. there is the addition of at least one antique or curio shop. This reflects a culture with an enthusiastic interest in the historical past and collecting. Like the wealth of fossils in the U.S. that preserve a moment in time, the souvenir, whether it be a kitsch object bought from a souvenir shop, a found natural form, or something that has been given, it too has the ability to preserve. More significantly, it enables reflection, often nostalgia, and provokes questions about the culture it represents.

With the help of my collection of souvenirs, I have returned to some of the landscapes and diverse cultures that fascinated me while travelling around North America, and in the process added to the collection.

Review of show in The West Australian 25-26 January 2014 link:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/arts/a/21062704/review-souvenirs-emily-ten-raa/