Brenna Vogan

 I have found myself longing for a close-knit family as I grow older and see many life milestones on the horizon, such as marriage, graduation, and moving. After divorces, loss, abuse, and neglect, I still want to forgive and regain the closeness my family once had, even if that concept is completely foreign to me now. I stumbled upon old home videos from my father and I watched in disbelief as it felt like I was watching a world that never existed. My parents were still married, and we all lived under one roof with my grandparents. Images of my mom giving me my first bath, my sister chasing the dogs in her Barbie car, or my aunts just sitting around a table laughing and drinking beer, felt like home to me. This felt like a home my whole family has forgotten because we let past conflicts stay in the way. 

This current body of work explores the connections and disconnections of family. Relating to the theme of identity, I am curious how humans can feel so close yet so far, physically and emotionally. Family trauma has left me with feelings of resentment but also a confusing sense of guilt and willingness to forgive. In this work, I am portraying a personal narrative of my desperate efforts to bring family together. While not everyone may want to reconnect with their family, I believe we all internally crave a sense of community and closeness that a family provides.