This small elephant was part of Anna’s father’s collection of hippopotamuses. Raised by a man who was both a paternal and maternal presence in her life, she brought him figurines from her travels for many years, transforming each object into a gesture of affection and a way of maintaining their bond despite the distance.
One day, unable to find a hippopotamus, she chose an elephant instead. Different from all the others, it nevertheless found its place within the collection.
After her father’s death and the dispersal of the collection, the elephant remained as an emotional trace of their relationship. More than a material keepsake, it embodies the persistence of bonds that survive through modest, imperfect objects filled with memory.
