Presentation 'Place of Absence'

'Places of Absence'

The following sideshow is the result of an image-based research project on memorial benches in Scotland. Several thousands of memorial benches have been erected in this country; in cities, along the coast and in the countryside, and we rarely think about the message they convey. However they are a product of our culture and therefore not only reflect social values and ideas but are also inherent with symbolism and discourses. This presentation touches on only a few of these.

The presence of a memorial bench provides a physical link between the deceased, those left behind and society, and all memorial benches are inseparable from the ideas of immortality, sacred place and identity. The images have been divided in groups according to discourse, however to ensure validity and reliability and allow observation of overlapping discourses, each bench is represented by three or four photographs which set it in its context.