Artist Statement
THE PLACES WE CALL HOME
TITLE
‘Te quiero mucho’
‘Te quiero mucho’ translates to ‘I love you so much’
in Spanish. It’s a phrase constantly said between my family members and me. My work is about those moments in between that tell you that you’re loved. The notion of home transcends the physical. For me, home is my mother picking me an orange from our tree in the backyard or my grandparents asking me if I have eaten. It’s spending hours in the pool with my cousins or listening to Spanish music as the sun goes down. I see glimpses of my childhood, my teenage self and my current self in the reflections of my home.
ARTIST
Alessandra Fermenias
While working on this project, I found an old roll of negatives at my Abuela’s house. These negatives were my Abuelo Orlando’s - he was a professional photographer and had an at-home dark room, which became a storeroom after he passed, 23 years ago.
I decided to develop these negatives and found images from a family party in the 80s. One of those images is the black and white image you see, taken at my grandparents’ house, featuring my mum and my Abuela sitting at the dining table. It’s a table my cousins and I have sat at many times throughout the years. It only felt fitting to include this beautiful moment in time, hidden away for me to find over 30 years later.
My work is inspired by the small, simple moments of my childhood. The closeness I share with my family. The haze of suburbia and growing up in the suburbs. I hope it inspires you to remember all the moments in between that remind you of home.
This work was shot in Western Sydney by Alessandra Femenias. She was born and raised in Greystanes and is of Argentinian, Uruguayan and Spanish descent.
Instagram
@alessarixs
Connection to Western Sydney
Greystanes, Dharug Country
