​"Forgotten" is a captivating photographic series that unearths the mysterious world of abandoned portrait art collected over a six year period.

 

Throughout history, portraiture has held a profound significance in immortalizing loved ones and those in power. Yet these portraits, acquired  through auctions, had been discarded and forgotten, leaving the stories of the subjects and the journey of the canvases shrouded in mystery.

 

Acquiring the framed portraits at various auctions, Wheaton Mahoney's intent is to offer these subjects a final acknowledgment by hanging them on living trees in her back woods, symbolizing the connection between earthly origins and their ultimate return as well as the metaphorical family tree. Captured over multiple years, the series reveals the passage of time through the changing of seasons while preserving the agelessness of the portraits. The artist's titles offer yet another layer of character to each subject. “The Forgotten” aims to honor those who have  come before us and have slipped into obscurity.

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The Forgotten Series was featured in the April 2023 MEDIUM FORMAT Magazine