What do we really inherit from our families?

Not only the things we can hold onto, but also the stories, values, memories, silences, and emotional patterns passed from one generation to the next.

The Marx Effect is a family history project exploring how the lives and choices of previous generations continue to shape those who come after them.

The stories follow family members across changing times and generations- from exclusion and the rebuilding of communities, through migration and starting over in new places, to the present generation: one that craves connection and belonging while also searching for individuality and the freedom to choose its own path.

Through archival research, family books and documents, letters, and photographs, I’ve traced the family history back 10 generations to the 1700s. I’ve redesigned these discoveries in a personal, visual way, bringing them into the present and connecting the past to today.

You’re welcome to join the journey and discover what effect the past has on us today!