Souvenir of the ‘Me’
Blanchette, C. (2025). Souvenir of the ‘Me’. In The Presence of Exchange — GIFT in Artistic Research and Beyond. Art theoretical writings from the Academy of Fine Arts. p.48-65.
Cynthia Blanchette develops in the Souvenir of the ‘Me’ a parasitic souvenir by giving it a name and claiming that the idea has existed since the first human trail was tread upon. We collect souvenirs as mementos, religious relics with holy awe, but we also collect living organisms into our bodies. Sometimes external organisms are intentionally planted for well-being—commonly in a form that is referenced by the presented artwork, titled Shitload.