"It's not so easy to get rid of the pain" – evokes his grandfather who fled in '56 in grainy images

Elsa Berrien, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Moholy-Nagy University, explores the role of archives in her photography. Living in New England, she focuses on analog techniques and personal archives, particularly reflecting on her grandfather's experiences during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Her project, "This is the finest place I have struck yet," captures memories and familial connections disrupted by historical events. Berrien emphasizes the complexities of uncovering painful family histories and the importance of creating new narratives through her artistic practice, blending photography and collage to form a personal archive that transcends geographical and cultural barriers.