Bags have always held personal significance for me. When I was little I went everyplace with a small purse, believing that I held my independence inside in the form of imaginary keys with which I could come and go as I pleased.

Since the events of 9/11, bags have been universally perceived as symbols of potential danger, especially when unattended. Several of the Unattended Bags in this exhibit are located within a few blocks of Ground Zero, but as I explored the subject of what we carry with us I found myself investing some of our most transparent captivations - such as religion and nationalism - in bags defined by a variety of other situations.

While certain bags may appear to reflect our new awareness and the violation of privacy inherent in 'security,' others may simply be cast into their surroundings - guilelessly expressing our most isolated feelings beside or within our architecture and interiors. As a glass can be seen as half full or half empty, our perception of an object's content changes according to its circumstances.