Name: The stories behind the bloodlines
Uploaded: 2012-04-18T15:04:38Z
Duration: 17 min 42 s
Description: Taryn Simon captures the essence of vast, generation-spanning stories by photographing the descendants of people at the center of the narrative. In this riveting talk she shows a stream of these stories from all over the world, investigating the nature of genealogy and the way our lives are shaped by the interplay of many different forces.

Taryn Simon captures the essence of vast, generation-spanning stories by photographing the descendants of people at the center of the narrative. In this riveting talk she shows a stream of these stories from all over the world, investigating the nature of genealogy and the way our lives are shaped by the interplay of many different forces.

The stories behind the bloodlines

Family stories, captured through generations, show how power, circumstance, and inheritance collide to shape lives. A man in India was declared legally dead so relatives could steal his land, while descendants in Bosnia and Brazil still bear the scars of violence and loss. Each genealogical project uncovers how simple lines of descent hide intense struggles, systemic corruption, and the effects of global history. These archives of portraits and fragments make visible the unpredictable forces that define our identities and destinies.