When I first heard about the work Lexa Walsh was doing I was very excited. I was told that she was documenting the objects that we hold on to for purely sentimental reasons. This was exciting to me because I have always had a fascination with objects and their connection to nostalgia.

The word "nostalgia" was first coined in a medical treatise in 1688 by Johannes Hoffer a Swiss physician and was at first exclusively used to describe the physical symptoms of homesickness. As a seventeenth-century medical term, nostalgia was a disease. Its victims were predominantly soldiers stationed abroad or servants from rural areas that had left their homes. Cases resulting in death were known and soldiers were sometimes successfully treated by being discharged and sent home. Receiving such a diagnosis was, however, generally regarded as an insult. But I digress (I like the word "digress" and I don't think it's used enough these days. But I'm still digressing, sorry.).

So I thought this is going to be swell! This is going to be LIKE THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW! Only better because the appraiser will be evaluating the items in terms of sentimental value. Well no, actually I'm sorry to say it's not that good. Lexa Walsh has a folding card table, a 35mm and a hand held video camera. She seems affable and generally interested that you have come to share your objects and stories. Ok so you show her your grandmother's salt and pepper shakers or in my case my wisdom teeth. She wants you to tell her about the items but she isn't a great interviewer. She needs to work on drawing out her subjects.

The photographs on view at the 21 Grand Gallery are not strong enough to stand on their own. But fortunately they don't have to as each photo is paired up with a bit of text (actually an extremely condensed summary of some aspect of the interview that Walsh found interesting). Unfortunately the photos and commentary Walsh provides just seem to trivialize these objects and experiences. I'm quite disappointed in this show because the idea for it is so simple and good and the reality is only the former and nowhere near the latter.

The Immortalization project is a work in progress so lets hope it will grow into something worthy of its name.

Greetings from Oakland: The Immortalization Project is up at the 21 Grand Gallery
now through October 27, 2005 with a closing reception on Thursday, the 27th.

21 Grand Gallery http://www.21grand.org/ 416 25th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612
The Immortilization Project http://www.lexawalsh.com/immortalization.htm