23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Lost and Becoming

“Lost and Becoming” is a layered self-reflection through time and memory. In this photomontage, my childhood image is projected behind me while I stand in front of a mirror, and my reflection multiplies across the surface. The repetition of reflections captures the ongoing dialogue between past and present, identity and memory, showing how we carry fragments of ourselves through time. The work meditates on transformation, longing, and the continuous process of becoming while facing one’s own history.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 70D
Copyright: © Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh