Amanda Weber

Roots is about how people who move abroad stay connected to where they come from, including their family and culture. It focuses on what they take with them to keep this connection, their anchor.



The typological series is a set of sixteen studio-shot photographic portraits, which show a variety of people from all over the world who have moved abroad for various reasons. They have all taken things with them to remind them of where they come from, and this is what the participants are photographed with. Some chose individual items and others chose an outfit.



In addition to being exhibited as photographs on a wall, the complete project is presented in the form of a book. Along with the photographs, the book also includes each participant’s story and the name of their chosen anchor, handwritten in their native language. This adds a personal touch as well as sharing another layer of culture, language.

 

The work only offers a glimpse of each individual’s story, as they are much more complex than can be captured in one photograph. This is emphasized in the book, as the viewer is first offered a small section of the portrait before revealing its entirety.



The project started as an exploration of myself, my cultures, and my own experience of spending most of my life living abroad. By exploring and sharing mine and others’ stories, the project aims to share cultures and diversity, while acknowledging some of the challenges that come along with moving abroad. The work also explores the emotional connections and significance that objects can hold, and how important and grounding they can be in uncertain, unfamiliar times.