Capturing this image and crafting its narrative is a story full of symbolism.
First, there’s something wistful I always find in an empty bench. Perhaps it’s interpreted from that emptiness which represents a missing loved one so well. Benches frequently are crafted in memory of someone, leaving behind a physicality of both seat and plaque to help remind the world of the person who once was.
Another factor is this scene of deterioration, where both stump and bench are crumbling as they slowly submit to the ravages of weather and time.
I already had the bones of this photograph’s narrative in mind when I returned a few years later… only to discover that it was all gone: the bench had been removed, and nothing remained of the stump except a mound of bark. I can’t imagine anything more symbolic and relatable: our desperate need to keep things static, to prevent the changes that are so integral to life: aging, physical changes, and ultimately death.
But my intent when creating this artwork wasn’t to focus solely on loss or futility. Take another look at the photograph. Isn’t the setting beautiful? There’s a quiet solemnity in the air, a diffuse light that lingers. It’s a place of power and beauty.
That’s the message I want to convey: it’s a bittersweet experience that keeps alive the cherished moments of someone we’ve lost.
All we need to do is remember.
About this Artwork
Entitled, Sit and Abide, this photograph of a decaying bench and stump in Olympic National Park, USA, is a story about remembering a beloved family member who has passed.
The work is available as a limited-edition framed print. Its accompanying narrative is etched into a black acrylic plaque, designed to be hung next to the print, as shown in the following illustration.
Click the image below to visit this piece’s detail page where you can read its narrative, check availability and pricing, and more.
Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.