Still standing

1950’s wooden jeweller’s drawers, wax, plastic, paper, foil, resin, acrylic paint, found objects
1 metre high x 75cm wide x 44cm deep, 2018

This project explores themes of fate, risk, and distortions of memory. Aging can make one increasingly aware of the need to take calculated risks. A new relationship, job, anything new, brings risk. The random nature of life means that change can unfold suddenly. Is this fate? Do I ever reframe my memories of these changes to make them more palatable? Memories of poor decisions, bad experiences, fears, as well as achievements are distorted over time as they are laid and relaid.

This work is housed in an old jeweller’s cabinet of 24 shallow drawers. 24 represents the passage of time as hours in the day. The interior of each drawer is painted or lined with fabric in a different colour. Most drawers contain something – an image, found object, collection, relic, ranging in mood from pleasurable, peaceful, funny, escapist, to angry, sad or nostalgic. Some drawers are empty (memories to come). One is not able to be opened.

Each drawer holds a memory of mine but all are unreliable, as all can only contain my take. Some drawers reflect a long stretch of time and others are about a moment.

Open a drawer. Each will evoke a personal and subjective reaction based upon your private constructs, preconceptions and memories.