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Abstract

The presence of the absent My project is based on the idea that we all leave something behind, traces which tell stories about us for others to read. I wanted to give these traces a value by collecting them in a book. My aim was to create pictures open enough so others can fill in their own stories. I used different methods to find ways to describe the absence: such as illustrations, installations and photos, often described in a sensitive way. I also changed the character of everyday objects to add a kind of awareness left by an earlier user of the object. By using my own imagination with inspiration from people I talked to, I created lyrics and pictures for the book. It has resulted in a 112 paged book containing my own interpretations of other opinions about absence, along with short lyrics of various characteristics. Hopefully the book will make others more aware of the traces left in their own surrounding and bring up questions about human contact and how it can be identified. My question at issue was following: What kind of traces do we leave noticable for others? How can I translate an emotion to a picture? How will the choice of method affect the feeling of the absent?