Invisible ghost - 2023

By intertwining family history with past, present, and future narratives, Sammy delves into the intricacies of the mother-daughter relationship, exploring its complexities and repercussions. Through this exploration, she delves into the biological, behavioral, and psychological dimensions of intergenerational trauma, while also highlighting the transformative potential of art and physical expression as avenues for healing.
Within the womb of our mothers, we share a cellular environment with our predecessors. Even before our births, the somatic cells that would later form our eggs were present within our grandmothers' bodies. Thus, three generations coexist within the same biological space, transmitting ancestral information through non-coding DNA (ncDNA) and RNA, potentially carrying the imprint of traumatic events and prolonged distress.
Psychologically, our identities are shaped by early interactions with our parents, who serve as our first mirrors and models for behavior. Sammy reflects on how subconscious reactions, often inherited from her mother, can influence her own responses, manifesting as invisible yet potent ancestral influences akin to ghosts.
The textile component of Sammy's work employs the sandwich heat press technique, layering discarded fabric from her grandmother, old family photographs, and yarn. These layers symbolize the continuum of inheritance and self-identity, with the yarn holding particular significance. Sammy's grandmother, a former seamstress, favored yarn, evoking memories of comfort and security from Sammy's childhood. In the absence of her busy mother, Sammy found solace in her grandmother, seeking to fill the void with maternal presence by wrapping herself in the comforting embrace of yarn. This act of self-soothing, portrayed in the film, becomes a poignant symbol of longing and reconciliation, as Sammy and her mother navigate their relationship and find healing through physical connection





Longing, Wondering
Life is my own journey, and I'm always on my way,
From one page to another, dot to dot on the map.
Traveling around,
Where do I come from? Where am I going?
This world is vast, but I can't find my roots,
The place that raised me up, the hand that held me,
The voice that comforted me, all faded away.
I can only remember your back,
The curtains are your skin, the chair is your feet,
The scissors are your hands,
The bowl is your breast.

Your heart is throbbing behind the invisible cracks in the wall,
Your eyes hidden behind your weapon-like lips and tongues, just like mine,
And you tell me,
This is not your house,
Your body is buried in the garden of your childhood.

Rivers are the blood vessels of the earth, all interconnected,
Ghostly ancestors live there.
I hope my yearning can become a boat, carrying me back to the past,
To my dusty corners of memories, to the origin,
Where our heartbeats sync, where our blood communicates.
Don't push me away when I come closer, Mama.

Life is a blank white paper,
Bounded by two lines,
One marks the beginning of life, the other, the arrival of death,
And you, you're my gate.


Video link: https://youtu.be/WBEckBvmSRk?si=UOiSOrvLWCEENAZi


Invisible Ghost, photography heat press on organza, 2023