memory in bloom
This exhibition is an ode to my grandmother, who has been losing her memory to dementia. Exploring themes of transience and permanence, the sequence of works creates a gradient of opacity and weight—beginning with watercolor on diaphanous rice paper and ending with solid silver forms. Similarly, the pieces oscillate between representation and abstraction, alluding to the ongoing processes of memory formation and loss.
I draw inspiration from transformation at various scales—whether the changing of seasons, the transition of day into night, or the momentary interplay of light and shadow. In my art practice, I often find myself caught between resisting and celebrating the relentless passage of time. As I grapple with the fragility of memory, I reflect on my relationship with photography in particular. Photography becomes a medium of grief—a way to preserve love that persists through the passage of time.
“Memory in Bloom” touches on the grief associated with lost memories while simultaneously encouraging the viewer to embrace the ephemeral. The motifs of these pieces maintain that beauty lies in impermanence; a silver vase is adorned with a night-blooming jasmine, and ink paintings depict the contrast between eternal mountains and passing mist.
Photos by Donald Swen