Hamare Zamane Mein
Disha Bafna
Hamare Zamane Mein—In our time—is a phrase I grew up hearing often from older generations in my family. Through it, I have listened to countless stories of places, people, and moments in time. Each narrative offers a glimpse into a different generation's experiences.
The books Nani, Ma, and Didi present a collection of material objects, rituals, and stories belonging to three women in my family: my grandmother, mother, and sister.
Archives serve as custodians of places, people, and time, offering insights into the past. These books bring together interviews, articles, and images—markers of time, identity, and personal histories. Through them, I explore the evolving material culture of women across generations. Together, these materials create a narrative—one that speaks to nostalgia and highlights how objects hold memory and meaning across cultures.
The project is an archive—rooted in personal history yet resonating with a broader cultural experience. While documenting the material culture and personal histories of family, I also reflect on the shared experiences of people within their respective cultures and generations. These books are a remembrance of things, a tribute to the personal and the ordinary, and an attempt to give voice to the material history of women. They invite the viewer to consider how the objects around us become vessels for storytelling.