What is objet petit “a”?

Where is? Why is it?

It is a term coined by Jacques Lacan, a French psychoanalyst, which plays a crucial role in understanding the human psyche and the dynamics of desires. 

This concept goes beyond the literal meaning of the words, referring to a mysterious lack that shapes our desires and longings while remaining elusive at the same time.

In Lacanian psychoanalysis, “objet petit a” signifies the elusive source of desire, forever beyond an individual’s grasp.
It is not a concrete object but rather the catalyst for our desires, always just out of reach.

We all yearn for something, yet many of our desires remain elusive, many of our desires are not even embodied, they’re not even thoughts made, they are the feelings forever beyond complete grasp.
Even in moments when we catch ourselves in the thought that “we have it all”, it often proves to be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
I believe that what inspired us to make this visualization of the “objet petit a” through our subjective lenses.
The universality of the concept of  “objet petit a” fascinated us with its easiness of identifying with Lacan’s statements.

The concept of “objet petit a” is also related to the notion of the “other scene,” which signifies an area beyond the individual’s understanding but influencing our desires and behaviors.
It is a kind of unfathomable background that shapes our psychic lives but always remains elusive and inaccessible for full comprehension.

The object “a” takes on various forms, such as the gaze, voice, etc.

It may become the object of fantasy, contrasting with the structure of the imaginary mirror. 

Through this collection of abstract photographs, we aimed to convey the human inclination towards yearning for that which eludes our grasp.

Each photograph also includes a brief description, which are quotes from Jacques Lacan’s statement about the mystical object “a”.