time

The representation of time is a recurring theme in art, which employs a wide range of symbols to make it perceptible to us and to remind us of the futility of our brief stay on Earth. Time is one of the phenomena that fascinates all human beings, for it is the “element” in which we live and the one that defines us. We find our place within it by measuring its passage, reconstructing the past in stories and remembering important events. Since all stories, whether of individuals or communities, are written against the backdrop of time, it is a subject of interest to both artists and social scientists.

	identity
	trace

identity

Identity refers to what is unique or distinctive about an individual or group. Every community constructs its image of itself around symbols, pictures, texts, rituals, customs and objects that establish it and enable it to differentiate itself from other groups. Identity may refer to the nation to which an individual belongs, or to one's gender or culture. It also appears to reside in the ways in which peoples come to talk about themselves over time.