Abstract
This installation seeks to explore the physical sensations of grief in the body through a structural representation in porcelain. In our culture, we don't often talk about grief nor do we have strong rituals surrounding death. Through this installation, I hope to normalize the conversation surrounding grief and provide a space where one can sit with their grief and not feel alone. This project is ultimately about my journey towards healing and finding meaning after the death of my husband.
Artist Statement
Liz Taylor is a Portland based sculpture artist working in a variety of mediums including ceramics, crochet, metal, and wood. She experiments with non-traditional methods in traditional mediums while exploring themes surrounding grief, memory, the body, and a sense of home.
Her current work, A Continuation of Love, is an installation consisting of fifty-five handmade crochet doilies dipped in porcelain slip and fired. They are then assembled together into the structural representation seen here. Surrounding the circular structure covering the floor are porcelain leaves. They are meant to be stepped on and broken by the viewer as they walk toward the structure. The brave are rewarded once inside with a clear floor and a moment of contemplation. You are meant to feel a sense of safety inside the fragile walls, but you can't escape the feeling that the whole thing might come crashing down around you at any moment.
The installation is ultimately about grief, healing, and finding meaning after losing a spouse at a young age. The meaning for this lies in the sharing of her story and provides a different way to think about grief. Everyone is grieving something, but through sharing experiences and witnessing another's grief, we can begin to heal ourselves.
