Soldier Brother

"You know all about first loves, broken bones, chipped teeth. You can call each other up, without hesitation. You love each other deeply." That's how Canadian artist Kaitlin Jones describes the special bond between siblings. Until her 22-year-old brother, a soldier in the Canadian Army, is deployed to Aghanistan. This changes everything, and Jones is left behind with the things that remind her of him - things that call up emotions, anecdotes, and characteristics. While these paraphernalia are spread out across the screen, Jones tells the stories they evoke for her on the audio track. A Guns N' Roses wig makes her think of her brother's worship of these rock heroes of the 1980s and 1990s. A collection of whisky bottles recalls his taste for the quality brands. A box of foreign currency reminds her of his adventurous spirit: he had traveled to Cuba, Thailand and the Mexican-American border before departing for Afghanistan. The objects represent the sugary, romanticized past, but the bitter, torn-up present is felt constantly as well, in an instant messaging ticker running across the screen. This form of communication is all Jones and her brother have left. And although it's not always smooth sailing, she never hesitates to contact him.

Unfortunately, the technology used to make this interactive project available online is no longer supported. However, new solutions to preserve and update projects technically are continuously being explored within the interactive field. Whenever possible, we will bring this project back online.

For documentation and more information on the project, check out the links.