Wearing (the weight of) Grief.

The second keystone of my work on the Grief Journey, the Staphylococci series explores wearing the weight of grief. In my personal experience and through research, it is felt mentally, emotionally, and somatically. I find the sensations vary in degree and location in physical manifestation, yet the weight is ever present. Staphylococci is an exercise in taking the micro into the macro; showing the physical and mental feeling on the outside of the body for all to see. 

The titles and sculptural formations refer to the staphylococcus microorganism, so named for their grapelike clusters and the purple stain they take when prepared for viewing under the microscope. I have an education background in biology in addition to anatomy and physiology. The idea of microscopy in artistic representation has always intrigued me. The close formation of the staphylococci bunches resemble the compact nature of felt emotions. The weight of the tightly packed marbles, each piece 10-20 lbs, conveys the physical weight of grief. The variety of orientation on the body shows the sentiment is not always uniform and its manifestation can vary in intensity and form and yet consistently exist. 

I use donated and ripped up formal dresses as the materials. The colors I have found are associated with grief and mourning through research on various customs. The dresses also have a strong association for me with my mother: she was a seamstress and made and altered many formal dresses throughout her life.