Published 30 October 2023 in Media Blogs
Alicia Ferreira
Per(pet)ual Memorium (2023).
4th to 11th November 2023
Tricia Visser’s Master’s solo exhibition of
ceramics with the title Per(pet)ual Memorium
(2023) opens at the Viewing Room Art Gallery on the 4th of
November. The exhibition explores the power of art to capture the most visceral
aspects of our lives; particularly that of our relationships with companion
animals. Visser attempts to depict the depths of human emotion where grief,
memory, and longing converge in ceramic sculptures.
The exhibition is comprised of 13 life-sized
sculptures of domestic animals she owned through her lifetime, some made from fragments
of their favourite soft toys or blanket fragments pets’ as well as the bone ash
as remnants of some of the more recent pets who unfortunately passed away. The
sculptures thus serve as physical reminders of the special bonds between humans
and animals. From a theoretic standpoint then, Visser deals with concepts such
as grief, anthropomorphism, the attachment theory, the ethics of care, as well
as the idea that pets can be considered as ‘children’.
One of the most compelling aspects of this
exhibition is its ability to communicate the deep grief that follows the loss
of a pet. However, many underestimate the intensity of this grief, dismissing
it with comments like, "you can get another puppy, kitten etc." The
artist's work challenges this notion; urging viewers to recognize the
significance of these relationships and the profound impact pets have on our
lives.
Per(pet)ual Memorium invites viewers to examine their own
relationships with their pets, fostering a deeper understanding of how these
relationships has the ability to enrich and shape our lives. By doing so, the
artist's work not only commemorates beloved pets but also the empathy and
connection among fellow animal lovers.
This is an exhibition that speaks to the
hearts of many. Through these unique pieces, we are reminded that the love for
our pets is perpetual and forever etched into the clay of our memories.
Alicia Ferreira
November 2023