Mama Monumentaart

I come from a large family of six children from Amsterdam where birthdays were celebrated on a grand scale.

 

After my mother died I went through all the old photos. Apparently it was a ritual to photograph my mother with the birthday cake.

 

We didn't have much money, but my mother thought it was important to celebrate birthdays.

 

At the same time, I wonder what we actually celebrate with birthdays. After all, you die a little more every day. That is the contradiction of life.

 

Now that she is dead, I find it extra special to find her in these old photos where her love for parties and life is so visible. So I made "Monumentaart".

 

A video of a birthday cake as a memorial altar.