Memory & Trace

By Maša H.

I’ve been continuously creating a dialogue between my mother and myself. In this way, I keep her alive—I keep her close.

This is one of my most cherished and loving photographs of my mother holding me. I know the story well—how deeply she longed to have a child, how long and painful my birth was. This photo is more than an image; it is a tribute to her tenderness, her open heart, and her unwavering love.

Through her, I learned softness. I learned how to love with depth. And in this work, I honor the gifts she gave me—many of which still shape who I am.

I love you, mama.

The Dialogue

The Theme of Family

By Maša H.

In recent years, the theme of family has become central to my work, growing stronger with each move across countries and through different chapters of my life. The distance—both physical and emotional—has made me reflect more deeply on what family means, especially after the loss of my mother. Grief has taken many forms: from numbness to sadness, from anger to rage. I have come to realize that I lost my family as it once was. This collage features one of the few rare photos of us together, taken shortly after the war. I layered it with personal fabrics, papers, and textures to express not only the visible but also the invisible threads that bind memory, loss, and identity. Through this piece, I try to make sense of the disconnection, and to honor what remains.

By Maša H.

I have experienced longing in many forms—but the most painful has been longing for loved ones. Whether during the isolation of the pandemic, the dislocation of migration, the quiet loneliness of pregnancy, or the many moves across cities and countries, the ache remained.

I longed for simple things—phone calls, voices, presence. I felt jealousy toward those who had their loved ones just a street away, or a city apart—not separated by borders, and oceans. I missed my sister with a depth that words often failed to hold.

My experience moved through waves—rage, anger, sadness—circling back again and again as I tried to understand the silences and distances that had grown between us. I questioned why my primary family dissolved so completely.

But over time, I have come to accept even the hardest absences. In that acceptance, I’ve begun to learn the quiet, powerful lessons of release. Though I still carry a soft, sacred longing inside me, I hold it gently now—with respect. It continues to teach me about love, impermanence, and resilience.

Longing

The Theme of Family

By Maša H.

Collage

By Eslem