Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1539634
The house in Sentimental Value spans a century of life, each decade leaving its mark. From Gustav's great-grandfather's deathbed in 1918 to the stripped-down white walls of the present day, the interiors carry traces of lives lived and choices made. Because most of these time periods appear only in glimpses—sometimes a single shot, other times a planned tracking shot or a loose moment following Nora and Agnes as children exploring, or little Gustav wandering the 1950s version of the house—every period had to be instantly legible. Certain decades were designed to mirror each other, both emotionally and visually, creating echoes across time. My historical research drew from many sources, but Norway's Digital Museum—a vast collection of period photography tagged by location— became essential. It contained images of the actual location house taken in the 1940s. What struck me, both in those images and in neighboring houses, was how much they still resembled late-19th-century interiors: heavy patterned wallpapers, thick curtains and textiles, art-cluttered walls, ornate padded furniture, decorative objects, plants and large rugs. More G. 1960S LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO. H. EDITHS'S 1986 LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO. I. 1990S PERSONAL REFERENCE IMAGE. J. 1990S LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO. D F E G H I J