in memory of what / hirsute shrine
'“in memory of what” is an ongoing series of parafictional objects of reverence and ritual. This series investigates ambiguous grief, creating otherworldly, delicate hanging sculptures that are in memoriam to futures that will not come to pass, and past ties that I will never know.
My pieces reference Victorian-era mourning artifacts and hairwork jewelry popular in the late-1700s to early-1900s; these objects served as tangible reminders of loss, blending bereavement with craft and symbolism. My work draws on these historic practices, but depersonalizes the acts of remembrance, turning to more speculative modes with atemporal colors and processes. I use materials such as plaited synthetic hair, brightly colored foil, chain, high-fire and air-dry ceramics to make deconstructed banners that honor ambiguous loss and post-memory (Hirsch 2012).
in memory of what, IV, 2025, 36x20 inches, synthetic hair, chain, foil, clay, acrylic paint, wood
in memory of what V, 2025, installation view from Phantom Body (Gloria’s Project Space, Manhattan), 52x23x2 inches
“in memory of what” (diptych), 2025, sculpture, 31x29 inches
Installation view from studio at Vermont Studio Center residency (January 2025). Sculptures made with synthetic hair, gold plated chain, clay, foil, paint.
Hirsute Shrine, 2024
into this dark forest you have already turned, 2025, sculpture, 57x37x2 inches. Installation photo from show at Peep Space in Tarrytown NY.