To Be A Mosaic

I would get really torn up at the idea that growing up meant that we were in a constant state of saying goodbye—to past versions of ourselves, to people we may never see again, to memories we’ll eventually forget. I’m not sure where I first heard it, but the saying that always seemed to mitigate that fear was, “We are a mosaic of everyone and everything we’ve ever loved.”

To Be A Mosaic totals to 40 originally designed postcards, each representing a small piece of the mosaic that makes me. An ode to family, friends, culture, sports, lived experiences and childhood dreams, the visual element of this installation is an expression of personal history and identity.

Postcards traditionally serve as a tangible reminder of one’s travels and experiences. The idea of using them as the physical building blocks for this concept came from the collection that has been growing on my bedroom wall since my first semester of college. While I love collecting them, not once have I sent them to other people. In exploring the decline of written mail and handmade gifts in a digital age, there remains something uniquely genuine about tangible, handwritten communication. The duality between something priceless and something inexpensive, turning an ephemeral object into a keepsake.

You’ll notice that on the back of each postcard is a handwritten letter. I’ve asked 40 individuals to write to someone or something that is not currently present in their lives, but remains a piece of their “mosaic”. Whether it’s to a passed loved one, long distant friend, or their younger self, these letters have allowed my project to become something larger than myself—a physical, communal expression of love to all the pieces that make us who we are today.