Yasmin Bascal 

DRAWING

Instagram: @yasminbascal

My work focuses on deterioration and hauntings in archived material, and the subsequent tension between preservation and change. Drawing on Jacques Derrida’s notion of Hauntology, and the intrinsically haunting nature of photography, I have developed a methodical process of image degradation through reproduction: repeatedly photocopying found material, then producing intricately drawn graphite recreations. Embracing the fragility of my materials, alongside the human and mechanical error emerging from repetition, I critique the concept of archived material holding value in its static state. Instead, this value lies in the constant process of change, allowing traces of the past to permeate our present experiences. Inspired by the 1940s performance scene in Lancaster and Morecambe and drawing from collections held by Lancaster University Library and Morecambe Library, Traces of Winter Gardens tackles the ephemeral quality of live music by temporarily solidifying its traces in material form.