Souvenirs act as tangible links between Our memories of experience and the place we call home. - Collin Douma
 

 “Souvenirs From Home” is a series of five illuminated boxes, each serving as a contemplative exploration of the multifaceted concept of home. Through artistry, hidden meanings, and found objects, these works transform everyday notions into reflections on belonging, identity, and memory.
 

Collin meticulously hand-fabricates each box, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Vibrant colors, thoughtful typography, and ambient lighting elevate each piece into a fusion of visual storytelling and personal memoir.
 

At first encounter, the viewer is drawn to a row of five vibrant, brick-sized boxes, each etched with evocative cutouts displaying single words: path, silence, courage, live, and nowhere. These words are illuminated from within, their soft glow creating an aura of warmth. The viewer discovers an unexpected layer: the cutout letters serve as mirrors, reflecting their image back through the illuminated words. As the viewer shifts perspective, the negative spaces in the letters transform, revealing hidden meanings. Path becomes empathy, and courage morphs into encourage—a visual and emotional interplay that invites the viewer to reconsider the meaning of the words applied to notions of home. 
 

Inside each box lies an object found in the artist’s home. These seemingly ordinary objects carry a symbolic resonance, completing the transformation of word to meaning. The journey within each box is one of discovery, from external observation to personal reflection, ultimately forging an intimate connection between the artist’s story and the viewer’s interpretation of home.

“Souvenirs From Home” offers an invitation to step into the space between words, light, and memory, finding a home not just physically but in the shared human experience of understanding and belonging.