What Does It Mean To Be Gone But Not Forgotten?

What does it mean to be gone but not forgotten? That’s the tagline to my newest project, featured in the Alexandria Community Art Library, located in the Target Gallery at Torpedo Factory Art Center. It’s called Say Goodbye. This project was one of those things that kinda just POOF! happened and you don’t really realize the full significance of it until later. It’s one of those works that, rather than the artist creating it, the work creates the artist.

Posters referring to the Cabinet of Curiosities. (Photo, Roman Petruniak)

Say Goodbye is an exercise in the fine art of saying goodbye to someone or something. Sometimes living life requires a little letting go to keep going. When you find my project in the shelves of the ACAL you will find Say Goodbye stationary and envelopes that I designed as well as some writing utensils. The participant is invited to take some time to sit down and write a letter of goodbye. When you finish you can leave it in one of two drawers, one that is public and will allow others to read your letter, or one that is private and letters will stay under lock and key and left in the trust of the ACAL.

Writing goodbye letters to them helped me to honor what once was my reality, yet also to know that enough time has passed for regret. Sometimes life requires a little letting go.

So far I, myself, have written two letters of goodbye. Often we go through life just chugging away and moving on from one thing to the next. I know that I sometimes tell myself, “Well, that’s the end of that! Time to move on!” and I don’t really give myself time or space to consider and process the impact of something/someone. Sometimes it’s because that thing/person has hurt me or I’m simply sad to see them go. I tell myself everything is ok, pick myself up and keep going. That’s what our culture tells us to do. We don’t have the time to mull over things positive or negative that have had an impact on us. Because of this we can lose an opportunity to learn, grow and most of all to remember. When we can remember where we came from and how those experiences and people shaped us it enriches our future.

Say Goodbye stationary, designed by artist, Christina Young

The two letters that I have already written were to my father (who passed) and a first love. Both of these men were people that at one time I didn’t have much love for after they left. Writing goodbye letters to them helped me to honor what once was my reality, yet also to know that enough time has passed for regret. Sometimes life requires a little letting go. It doesn’t mean that person or experience was a terrible waste of time; rather it means that part of the story is over. It’s gone but it’s not forgotten, and it enriches and makes bright paths for new life.

To read, curator, Roman Petruniak’s, blog on the work of the Alexandria Community Art Library please click here.

To learn more about the ACAL and to buy a limited edition poster that directly supports Christina Young and other young, local artists, please visit www.acartlibrary.com.

To learn more about Resident Artist at Convergence, Christina Young, please visit www.Christina0.net