I got the photo today. It was inside an envelope covered in layers of address labels, stamps and scan labels. Layers of history, not ancient but recent history, at least within the last year. A photo too is a record of history, and this particular photo made by Emily is intriguing. Every time I saw it on the blog it seemed to say the same thing, and now I have it in my hands it still says the same thing. Emily writes that she took the photo over 10 years ago whilst on a journey, and many of the writers and artists who have received the photo have interpreted that journey as a train ride. To me too it seems it was taken from a train. It is dark, ambiguous, mysterious. Those circles of light are like lost souls waiting, watching the train passing. Lost souls from the past waiting… for what? Perhaps they are a family waiting for the return of their father from the war. Perhaps they are just waiting, because that’s what happens at train stations. Now forgotten faces, always waiting, immortalized in the photo. The two hexagon shapes in the sky one light and one dark like two suns, as if suggesting life and death, creation and destruction.
This is Emily’s photo.
I made a collage using layers of newspaper, not ancient but recent history, and over sharpened it with a photo editor. This is “Lost in the Mists of Time”.
I normally work with mosaic and sometimes mosaic animation, but as I started out in collage and photomontage, it was a refreshing change to make a collage for this project! To see my blog visit katerattray.wordpress.com
My website is www.rattraymosaics.co.uk
Journey of a Photograph is a collaborative project invented by Emily Hughes.
If you would like to take part in this project you can sign up here
Journeyofaphotograph 
Hi Kate!
Isn’t it interesting how each person coming from their own personal history interprets this photograph in a new and different way.The colors are handsome.I particularly like the suggestion of space and time – history.The technique you used is great. I really like the piece.
Carla
Hi Carla! I love how this project is progressing. It is really interesting and a great way to find out about other artists. Thanks – glad you like my collage!
Reblogged this on Kate Rattray's Mosaic Blog and commented:
Sometimes I like to stray from the glass and make something else, and I love experimental collaborative projects like this one. But I promise there will be another mosaic post soon!
I love the rich colours of your collage. Colors that feel like they are full of history, even if it is recent history. It still has your mosaic touch too. Wonderful!
It is a journey that is developing more richness at every stop. I like to think that the edges of that photograph has a fingerprint or two from each stop. Invisible traces.
Thanks Karen, well that photo is already more well traveled than me, I feel a bit jealous of it!
Hi Kate! Love your interpretation of the photograph. There’s something very mosaic-like about the collage (not surprisingly). Do you see Emily’s shot as Autumnal?
Hello Richard, no it hadn’t occurred to me . Do you think the oval shapes look like leaves? They are supposed to be faces, forgotten faces! Funny though as I am working on a mosaic design which does have lots of falling leaves in it! Actually thinking about it it looks quite similar in many ways!
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for taking part. I really enjoyed your response. The colours are beautiful and rich and I really love how you have interpreted all the different elements of the photograph in your own way and used the concept of the layers of time and (recent) history in the creation of a collage, which is made up of layers of time, and history. I am also jealous of the journeys this photograph takes, but it’s wonderful to make so many great connections through it. Thank you so much again for your time and creativity. Some of the responses I really want to see up close in the flesh and this is definitely one of them. Maybe one day we can get them all together. I’ll email you soon with the next participant. I’m not quite sure where it’s headed next…
Emily, it was a pleasure to take part. Quite liberating to make a collage once again – it’s been a long time. I hope to make some more – and all thanks to you x
Reblogged this on searchingtosee and commented:
Rich, elegant and thoughtful. Another beautiful response to ‘The journey’ project from Kate Rattray of katerattray.wordpress.com
Great response, Kate, to this photo’s great journey.