Statement: Photographs have the ability to carry images of our past from one time and place to another. They inform us and give us an understanding of what life was like during earlier times. These images carry traces of the people they document and the experiences they may have had. Precious moments, memories of loved ones and experiences of another time are held within the frame of a photograph, traveling through time to be in this place where we are now. The imprints from these photographs are left on our memories and will influence who we are for the rest of our lives.

Jenny Carter-White’s approach to photography might be described as imagery that gets ‘in touch’ with time. Her technique of casting projections of old and historic photography onto subjects and sites from later generations literally places one era in touch with another. The outcome is not a temporal juxtaposition so much as an interpenetration of times where one era is seen ‘within’ another. With her focus on family photography in the Traces series, this interpenetration becomes an eloquent expression of how individuals create a time-based sense of belonging to others and locate themselves within a family history.

Jenny Carter-Whites’ art practice involves the collection, documentation and slide production of old and historic family photographs. Precious items, which we are sentimental about, that relate to those pictured in the photographs are also used within her artwork. The Family Bible and other books are used as containers for memories.

Carter-White also investigates how we as individuals, not only look for ourselves in these old photographs but also search for our children, a lineage that connects us with our ancestors. These treasures along with “family photographs” are left to our children and grandchildren, connecting the past generations with the future.

The landscape relating to those pictured in the historical images is also an important aspect of Carter-Whites’ art practice.

“The memories we have of these people, along with the stories passed down by them, of times before we existed, give us a greater depth of understanding of them and their relationship with the land. I explore the idea of the landscape, which has witnessed so much, having a memory, where an imprint or trace of those who have resided there, stays there. This energy or trace, along with the residue of their presence and sense of belonging, lingers on long after they have passed; often drawing family members back to the origin of their ancestors”.

By using projections Carter-White is addressing the transparency of memory, i.e., something intangible that is only visible to us as individuals. By reconstructing the memories and experiences conveyed to her by those who have now passed on, Carter-White creates new memories and recollections for the future generations while connecting them to the past.

The significance of this work is such that it not only places both social and personal photography in the art gallery space but also highlights the importance of this type of imagery to our cultural identity.