Donigan Cumming The Photo Book.

I have a creative process in which I follow for most photographic projects I undergo . I always look in "The Photo Book" for general inspiration . I always look for similar themes or photographic style that I can use for research . Whilst looking through this time I was thinking about some key words to see aesthetically if I could find something to fit. I was thinking about memory's boxes , identity , possession , digitisation etc.  I came across this image by Donigan Cummings of an elderly woman named Nettie Harris.

The image is named after a date "April 27 1991" symbolising time and by the featal and vulnerable position he has placed his model in that he time may be limited. After exploring his work further there is a recurring theme of him photographing the elderly and in particular females nude. This image stood out to me because of the use of objects that the viewer can only presume are her treasured possessions . She is lay next to what seems to be a photograph of a baby , a blue evening dress and possibly a painting. Is this small collection This woman memory box or things that she hasn't parted with throughout her life? The images reminds me of death and the aftermath . It is now very common for the dead to be buried with beloved objects whether that be photographs, wedding rings , football tops ect. Is the coffin  an unconventional memory box that physically can not be digitalised  is this something I should explore further in order to break The conventional rules of photography like Martin Parr states.