memory, in bloom
In this exhibition, I seek to make our experience of memory tangible. Through the use of multiple mediums, I explore a gradient of translucencies, including ink on rice paper, photographs on canvas, and solid silver forms, all with the backdrop of diaphanous fabric panels. By using a range of opacities, I juxtapose themes of permanence and transience.
This is mainly an ode to my grandmother, who has been losing her memory due to dementia. The exhibition touches on the grief associated with lost memories, but also serves as a reminder to embrace the ephemeral. The motifs of these pieces maintain that beauty lies in impermanence; a silver vase is adorned with a night blooming cereus, and ink paintings depict the contrast between eternal mountains and passing mist.
I draw inspiration from transformation at various scales, whether the change of seasons, day slipping into night, and even the momentary interplay of light and shadow. Through my art practice, I often find myself caught between resisting and celebrating what feels like the relentless passage of time. As I grapple with the fragility of memory, I reflect on my relationship with photography. Photography, for me, sometimes becomes a medium of grief—a means to preserve love that persists despite this passage of time.
The art pieces range from representational to abstract, mirroring the formation and loss of memory, or the ability to recall the feeling of an experience rather than its precise details. As you walk through this spatial representation of memory, I hope you can reflect on the inherent beauty of impermanence.
Photos by Donald Swen