“When confronted by something that thrusts corporeal reality - the repressed truth of the vulnerability and impermanence of the physical body - into perspective, the observer is left conflicted and unnerved. Such provocative imagery might include depictions of human skin, organs or other anatomy that is uncannily realistic. This disturbing aesthetic, integrated into the same artworks as personally charged issues such as mental and physical illness, loss and mortality, should recreate these experiences for viewers. It should communicate to an extent what it is to endure these traumas; the imagined, delusive border that enables humans to dissociate from their vulnerability is momentarily blurred, and the viewer is left abjected. While trauma and negative memories are reiterated through macabre works, also often included is a somewhat contrary facet - sentimental objects, experiences or processes as vessels for positive memory and explorations of healing. Heirloom (2021) explores the matrilineal predisposition to, and inheritance of mental health disorders. However, among the disturbing elements this time, are sentimental, inherited/heirloom processes. Delicate crochet beaded with mood stabilizers communicates the comfort, safety and belonging associated with the maternal. The vulnerable body is still alluded to though, and incorporated are weaving techniques reminiscent of surgical stitches to portray healing. So, viewing these works not as individual objects, but rather chronologically, as a cohesive body, reveals the slow process of healing from trauma and the ways it can drastically alter perceptions of the world.”