On Belonging(s)

Curated by Erin Wilson

Devonport Regional Gallery, lutwiwita/Tasmania

3 August - 22 September 2019

On Belonging(s)

Amber Koroluk-Stephenson

Liam James

Jesse Pangus

Alex Davern

Belonging

1. Possession
2. A close or intimate relationship – a sense of belonging

The double meaning of the word belonging, as both a possession and as a relationship to others, is of interest when we consider the role belongings play in our sense of belonging.

Belongings

Our possessions are in many ways extensions of the self, and are an important part of the self-identity we build and convey to others. Theorists suggest that there are three distinct phases of life in which our relationship to our belongings forms an integral part of building and communicating our sense of self. The suggestion or contention is that during youth, possessions play a role in the creation of identity; that they are important in maintaining this identity throughout adulthood; and that they assist in preserving this identity as we reach our elderly years 1. This concept of the changing role over time was summarised by Joseph Neal as ‘our years of learning, our years of earning, and our years of yearning (for immortality)’2.

Our sense of having the ability to possess objects begins when we are very young, when a particular object may be adopted for comfort, sometimes referred to as a ‘transitional object’3, and jealousy over what other children have is common. During adolescence, objects begin to become more closely linked with our identity, and materialism is often considered highest during this period when, conversely, self-esteem is often at its lowest. During this time, possessions begin to play a role in who we are, but can also become a projection of what we want to be. For example, buying a first car is often viewed as a symbol of an independent identity as adolescents transition into adulthood, and the choice of car may say a great deal about who we are or aspire to be. As we negotiate adulthood our possessions, including (and perhaps especially) our houses, remain a cornerstone of our identity but also begin to

become imbued with our memories. In our later years, it is suggested the elderly often begin the process of passing down their valued possessions to younger generations of the family, as a means of preserving their identity and ensuring a memory of their life after their death.

In discussing our possessions as extensions of the self, it is also interesting to consider the emotions we experience as a result of the loss of our belongings. Russell Belk suggests that the unintentional loss of belongings can strongly impact and lessen our sense of self 4. The loss of possessions through natural disaster or theft typically produces strong emotions, with the experience of having possessions stolen often being equated to a feeling of violation. However, the loss of possessions through an involvement with institutional settings also demonstrates the link between our belongings and our identity. Belk discusses the systematic deprivation of possessions of individuals as they enter prisons, boarding schools, the military and more, as a means of encouraging the development of a controlled and standardised identity 5.

On Belonging

Throughout our lives, we use possessions to both align ourselves with and differentiate ourselves from others. Whether through interests that our possessions denote, or through engagement with particular styles or brands, our possessions can signify membership of a particular social group, our social status, or adherence to a particular set of values or beliefs. What we own and what we buy can have a direct correlation with how we belong.

Architecture and place may also be considered as extensions of the self, with influence over how we belong, in similar ways to our possessions. Distinguishing between space and place, Datel and Dingemans discuss a sense of place as ‘the complex bundle of meanings, symbols, and qualities that a person or group consciously and unconsciously associates with a particular locality or region’6. The concept of place attachment further explores the way in which we connect to place, with theorists noting that place attachment is ‘an emotional connection between people and their surroundings...’7 which links our experiences, beliefs,

emotions and routines of a particular place. Like the objects we own, the places we frequent, the routines and rituals we engage with, and the emotional responses these elicit, each play a role in building our self-identity and connection with others. This connection through shared experiences of place may cross generations and create a sense of a communal identity.

The links between objects, places and identity each converge in the home. The home plays a role in both revealing and concealing aspects of our identity, both as individuals and communities. Carl Jung asserted that our house can be a symbol of our self 8, and the privacy afforded by the home may allow for a divergence between the self we present publicly and the one we explore in private. Significantly, the home is also a space that, through our routines and possessions, we transform into a place that reflects ourselves. Like the individual possessions we acquire, the accumulation and presentation of these possessions in the home, and our shared experiences of these places, becomes an outward communication of our social identity – a fundamental part of being human. Ultimately the places and possessions we feel an affinity toward, and the identity they communicate, provide us crucial opportunities for connecting with others and feeling a sense of security and acceptance, all contributing to our sense of self, and our sense of belonging.

On Belonging(s)

The artists in this exhibition On Belonging(s) explore different aspects of both notions of belonging and belongings. Jessie Pangas’ work is a quiet reflection on the nostalgic significance of the possessions that commonly surround us in the home, acting as repositories and holders of our memories and stories. Liam James positions the European vase as a receptacle signifying the possession and control of the invaded Australian landscape, while exploring this family collectable’s role in reconciling a sense of place in this landscape. Amber Koroluk-Stephenson explores the experience and tensions of migration, and the role of objects as signifiers of place and identity, whether maintaining connections to the past or aiding assimilation into new places and cultures. Finally, Alex Davern focuses on items that are acquired and consumed through our everyday

lives, and the role the routines surrounding these objects play in developing our sense of identity and connection to place and to others.

Together, these artists explore how we attach value to objects, and the role these possessions play in the stories we tell about ourselves, both individually and communally.

On Belonging(s) is a reflection on how we construct our identity, connect ourselves to place, and engage with our possessions, both nostalgically and idealistically, as extensions of the self.

- Erin Wilson Curator

1. Gentry, G., Menzel Baker, S., & Kraft, F.B., (1995), “The Role of Possessions in Creating, Maintaining, and Preserving One’s Identity: Variation Over the Life Course”, in NA – Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 22. ED. F. R. Kardes & M. Sujan, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, pp. 413-418.

2. Neal, J. in Gentry, G., Menzel Baker, S., & Kraft, F.B., (1995). pp. 560-565.

3. Green, K.E. in Jarrett, C., (2013), “The Psychology of Stuff and Things”, The Psychologist, Vol.26 (Aug. 2013), (Sep. 1988), pp. 139-168.

4. Belk, R.W., (1988), “Possessions and the Extended Self”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 15, No. 2 Belk, R.W., (1988).

5. Datel, R. E., & Dingemans, D. J., in Najafi, M., Shariff, M.K.B.N., (2011), “The Concept of Place and Sense of Place In Architectural Studies”, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 8 (2011), p. 1101.

6. Najafi, M., Shariff, M.K.B.N., (2011), “The Concept of Place and Sense of Place In Architectural Studies”,World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 8 (2011), pp. 1054-1060.

7. Jung, C. G., (1967), Memories, Dreams, Reflections, The Fontana Library: Theology and Philosophy, Collins.

Installation photograph by Erin Wilson

Work documented by Jack Bett