Security Blanket
A comfort object, transitional object, or security blanket is an item used to provide psychological comfort, especially in unusual or unique situations for children. Security blankets are often used by children when parents are absent, focusing on the loss of my dad I use a security blanket as a metaphor for his absence. My security blankets are made by sewing found photographs which I bought at markets during the course of the year together. I collect these anonymous photos because I don’t have many memories of my father or photos from my childhood.
Suzanne Shu says: “The endowment effect is people’s tendency to value things more when they feel ownership over it.” I do find it strange that I can buy and own other people’s personal photographs and memories. Touching the photographs make it becomes an extension of me, it feels part of my memories and I have a deeper connection with the photos. I create my own stories and memories looking at the photographs.
As per the book Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes, the feeling we get from photographs are “That has been”, a feeling of nostalgia, of longing back home. Studies have shown that inducing nostalgia in people can increase their feelings of self-esteem and social belonging, encourage psychological growth.
The security blankets are therefor my way of dealing with the loss of my father, the little memories I have and boosting my feelings of belonging through nostalgia.
