The Art of What is Forgotten and the Beauty & Pain of Growing Up

This body of work is a culmination of research, exploration, and reflection created throughout my senior year at Parsons. This project explores childhood, the pain and beauty of growing up, forgotten and cherished memories, and the changes in my identity throughout childhood and adolescence. I am fascinated with these topics as I think about them often and feel nostalgia quite intensely. This body of work began as a way for me to express these intense emotions and obsessive thoughts, and has continued to be meaningful self exploration and a healing exercise as I grow up, even though if it was up to me I would hit pause.

Update on October 31st, 2026: This is my first time watching my thesis film since I graduated, about a year and a half ago. This watch proves that this film and growing up is always changing and evolving. Since last watching, some people in this film are no longer in my life, one of them has died. The way this is now taking on new meaning for me is the reason why I make work like this. This project is a combination of raw feelings and exploration and documentation of growing up, frozen in time. Now, a year and a half later, so many things are different and I feel a lot more grown. But also, some things remain the same. If it was up to me, I would still hit pause.

Char Alissa Horton Cinematography thesis film masking, a 16 mm film obsessive & compulsive Photography queer intimacy About Contact/Connect

Char Alissa Horton

Cinematography
thesis film
masking, a 16 mm film
obsessive & compulsive
Photography
queer intimacy
About
Contact/Connect