Exhibition – Anonymous Ancestors

To stand within Susan Lenz’s Anonymous Ancestors is to become immersed in the myriad for family stories handed down through generations. Thousands of anonymous, vintage photographs have been altered to create a nostalgic interior. Works include over 250 individually framed, altered images; furniture upholstered with image transferred fabric; and three sculptural garments. Viewers are invited to sit, browse through altered photo albums and scrapbooks while contemplating the future of their own heirlooms. Minds wander to visions of forgotten friends, past holidays, ancient occasions, former cars, and hilarious fashion trends. Yet, these are anonymous photos. They come from yard sales, auctions, and abandoned locations. Who are these people? Who really knows? The site-specific installation transforms City Gallery into a comfortable sitting parlor where the inhabitants become distant aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, siblings, and in-laws. They are society’s family tree, our collective wall of ancestors.