Family Albums, " A Cultural Artifact"
             Family albums have played an important role as navigators of familial ideology and possessions of familial memory. Most family photograph albums contain a great variety of items, both identified and unidentified held together by this collective identity with the family. When family albums are put together we are reminded of our family history and possess sentimental ties within the family. Viewing photographs of deceased loved ones enables the families to manuscript their lives as they happened and to remember all the memories they had made. I believe that family photographs are form of cultural artifacts and express unity, emphasis, and coherence.
             The unity of my family's photo album has so much significance clustered into one book. All the events that took place throughout the history of my life are all kept together collectively. The album seems so insignificant to others, yet it carriers so much meaning to me personally. It is a united visual of my past and present life. It shows a way of communication and indicates how my family interacts with each other and our relationship among us.
             This collogue emphases what life is really about to me. It highlights the most important events that have happened to me in my life so far. There are a lot of memories of my grandparents that are no longer living and when I am missing them I could go back and reflect upon the photos to bring back the memories we have made. Even though the moments passed me by, pictures keep the memory alive. Some of the photos have a positive and negative outlook on me. For instance, one picture can represent something so happy in my life, such as my first Christmas or birthday party, and another can remind me of sadness from past loved ones that I lost. The photos in my album are snapshots that shape the identity of who I am today.
             The coherence of my photo album is that each picture repr...