Abstract
"Lest We Forget - About My Mother" is a poignant visual essay comprising a series of small and medium-sized oil paintings that serve as a tribute to the artist's 93-year-old mother, who grapples with dementia. Through these paintings, the artist delves into their personal journey as a caregiver, reflecting on their mother's life, challenges, and the impact of memory loss. Each painting depicts significant objects from the mother's life, serving as touchstones to her past and symbolizing the richness of her experiences despite dementia's challenges. Knitting emerges as a recurring motif, embodying comfort and routine while conveying moments of resilience and resourcefulness. The consistent use of Naples Yellow as the background color unifies the series, while shadows subtly underscore the fragility of memory. Through emotional realism, the artist explores themes of love, loss, and memory, offering viewers a glimpse into the complex emotions surrounding dementia. Ultimately, the series serves as a heartfelt preservation of the mother's memories and a celebration of the enduring power of connection amidst the shadows of mortality.
Rights
© The Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Recommended Citation
van Frank, Cynthia
(2024)
"Lest We Forget- About My Mother,"
International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education: Vol. 7, Article 10.
Available at:
https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/ijllae/vol7/iss1/10