Thoughts In Passing Summary

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“Will I have any regrets in life?” “What could I have done differently?” “How should I live my life?” It is questions like those that fill, and often plague, the minds of many, and have inspired hyperrealist Claudia Bicen in her portrait series, “Thoughts in Passing.”
“Thoughts in Passing” consists of nine life-size portraits of individuals whom Bicen drew using graphite pencil- all those depicted are, or were, in hospice care. Bicen met with and drew these individuals over the course of two years, during which she truly worked to capture their life stories. Each portrait is extremely detailed and realistic, and each individual’s shirt has his or her own story inscribed on it, symbolizing the way people carry their stories on their backs, and enticing audience members to take closer looks at the artwork. Bicen also recorded their words, which can now be heard on Vimeo.
The popular themes among those whom Bicen talked to seemed to be regret and involvement in the world. When it came down to it all, the portrait subjects cared more about their connections with life in the living world, rather than the material things they possessed. All in all, it seems as though happiness is the ultimate factor in living a fulfilled life.
I find that the …show more content…

As expected, it is often when time is running out that people can reflect on their lives, establishing what they wish they had done differently, and what they are happy that happened. Such messages are powerful, and suggest the importance of embracing life, rather than simply existing in it. “Thoughts in Passing” is a portrait series that serves to not only preserve the lives of nine individuals, but also, to establish important life lessons. It reminds its viewers to stop and smell the roses every so often, so that death can just be a time in which a person can reflect on enjoying all the roses of his or her

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