Residual Bodies | Samuel L. Dorsky Museum of Art, 2022

This work serves as a memorial to the physical spaces and belongings left in the wake of the inevitable losses we face during life. As children, we cling to physical objects for comfort to ease the anxieties of separation. As adults, these objects may change form but often remain present in our spaces long after the person has left. I am recreating these objects by hand, shown out of context and weathered by simulated age. This project questions how we deal with grief in ways that are deeply personal and unique. Memorializing objects left behind in this way can help us accept losses that are not only physical or literal, but also the intangible aspects of life we grieve, such as relationships, innocence, spaces, and our sense of self. We often lack the appropriate time to grieve completely, and transitional objects can help us hold space for this process, even if for a short moment in our day or lives.