Hugo (Figure #2), 2015

As time passes by, our memories of the past fade and distort. Some disappear for ever, while others can remain with us for a long time. In his series The Wake of Dust, Thomas Hauser explores the notion of memories and the role that photography plays in this. This reference to nostalgia and impermanence not only concerns the image itself, but also the photograph as an object. This photograph is the result of a complex silkscreen printing process, in which Hauser prints the photograph on silver paper using glue and toner (the powder used in laser printers). Vulnerable as it is, with the passing of time the photograph undergoes changes. The faded effect resulting from this process infuses Hauser’s images with a certain nostalgia, which is further enhanced by the handprint visible above the boy’s head.