Hannah Edelman

Hollywood (2018-2024)  is an exploration of the complex interplay between memory, nostalgia, and trauma. I have become deeply aware of how nostalgia reshapes my memories, softening their sharp edges and obscuring uncomfortable truths. In this process, I’ve come to understand the deep emotional complexity of my girlhood—how themes of freedom, devastation, and love are inextricably intertwined, shaping both my past and my present self.

The camera is my primary tool for revisiting and reframing these memories, using it to piece together fragmented moments from my youth. This is not a tender reimagining of the past, but a metaphorical reckoning—a violent peeling away of old layers to confront wounds long buried. Through the lens, I search for clarity in the haze of memory, acknowledging the brokenness that lingers in both the subjects I photograph and in myself. This is an attempt to piece together a narrative of survival and self-acceptance, acknowledging the scars and finding meaning in the wreckage of youth.