I’M STILL HERE
I’m Still Here, is an archival photographic installation that honours the continuing presence of loved ones who have passed away by bringing archival portraits into the present. The exhibition explores the relationship between memory, spirit, and material, inviting viewers to reflect on how absence can remain present in quiet, tangible ways.
The works consist of a series of transfer-printed photographs on bed sheets. Each image appears softly faded, scratched, and textured — the result of a slow, physical process that requires touch and pressure. The bed sheets, both intimate and symbolic, evoke rest, care, and finality. As familiar domestic objects, they carry traces of the body and memory, transforming into spaces of remembrance and quiet emotional resonance.
This project stems from my relationship with my grandpa, who I still feel guiding and caring for me. I’m Still Here is my way of reaching out — of making his presence visible, of saying hi one more time. The exhibition offers a space for stillness, a moment to pause and remember, even for just a few seconds or minutes. When we lose someone, life keeps moving, and we rarely get time to truly mourn. I’m Still Here allows that pause to exist and invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences of loss.
I am an emerging artist working across photography and installation, exploring memory, loss, and the material traces of human connection. My practice often uses found or personal materials to explore how we hold onto people and moments that exist beyond the visible.
Website: https://www.fotobela.com
Instagram: @isabela.ascui
