​Homesick 

2021  

In the series, Homesick, Elizabeth Ransom invites ten migrant women to share their stories and memories of homesickness. Ransom first collected a list of liquids from each individual that reminded them of home. This could be anything from a favourite drink they can only get access to in their home country to a soup they ate as a child when they were feeling unwell. Ransom then soaked a roll of 35mm colour film in the liquid for one hour for every day since they had returned to that location this ranged from 57 to 1125 hours.

This work was created in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic when countries had closed their borders and travel was at a standstill. This was the first time for many of the participants that they had not had the option to travel back home to see their families and loved ones. The experience of homesickness was exacerbated for many resulting in physical and emotional symptoms. For some participants, it had been many years since they returned home. The longer that the participant had been away the longer the film was left to soak in the liquid. The emulsion slowly deteriorating over time. 

​In addition to the photographic work each participant wrote a short piece of text reflecting on their experience of homesickness and transnationality. These texts contain insight into what it feels like to long for a place you cannot access.
They explore complex emotions such as guilt that is felt by those who have moved away from family and loved ones. They also showcase the significance of the comfort that cultural food and drink can provide. The confusion of longing for one home while being completely complacent in another. As well as longing for an imagined future that did not occur, a path that was not taken, opportunities left behind. These letters provide insight into the fear that was felt by many during the pandemic particularly for those that weren’t sure if they would ever step foot in their home countries again, the fear of being forgotten, or not being able to say goodbye, and the fear of losing a piece of themselves.