I am a ceramic artist that uses clay to trap, release, and process memories. Clay is known for having a form of “memory” of its own. I use this “memory” that is disassociated from a form of consciousness as a metaphor for our own perceptions of memory. Drawing inspiration from Neurophilosophy, I have come to understand that memories are incredibly faulty, emotionally charged, and continuously change; and yet, we form our understanding and perceptions such as identity and ethics based on our memories. In her book, Touching a Nerve: Our Brains, Ourselves, founder of Neurophilosophy Patricia Churchland says that our individuality (our personalities) are rooted in our episodic memories.
Researching memory formation and recall naturally led me to sleep and dreaming as these processes are intricately connected. Memories are sorted, filed, or culled out during sleep. A memory is formed through the connection of neurons, and those pathways are formed when your brain decides that neuron contains relevant information. This is one way in which the physical body works without our cognitive consent. During the memory forming stage of sleep the rational frontal cortex is shut off while the emotional centers are still activated establishing the emotional connection with the memory. Memories can be volatile and dangerous as well as vulnerable. I seek to show this vulnerability of the Human Condition through my sculptures.