Theresa Pucci : capstone

Abstract

Growing up in an environment where I was taught that family is to be cherished, I am not surprised to find that much of my artwork revolves around them. I hold my relationships and interactions with my family with the highest regard and I am influenced by them frequently. I make artwork that celebrates and memorializes these shared family bonds. As my family and I grow older, so do my pieces. Bodies degrade. Metal tarnishes. This natural aging process also affects memories, which become less clear over time. My pieces age, as do my memories of them, and both are then tarnished. Recently I have been influenced by what is passed down genetically through my family. These “genetic heirlooms,” both positive and negative, are something that each owner must face, recognize, and deal with in their own manner. For example, in “From Them, to Us, to Our Own,” this series of lockets originates with my maternal grandmother and follows her genetic line through to new generations. I use hair from specific family members to bind and connect not only our genetic makeup, but to strengthen the bond we share as four generations of women. In “A Gift from Mom,” I explore a family history of migraines through medical imagery and pattern disruption. “Gentle Reminders” expresses that even though mental states, such as depression, show less brain function in scans, medical documentation alone does not define a person. These pieces have allowed me to better understand myself as an individual, but also to help identify my place within a strong family of women. Personal identity and family relationships drive my work. At one point I will be the beginning of a chain of shared memories, just as I am a link in an ongoing genetic chain. I will pass my work down as heirlooms, along with the stories that belong to them, just as my genes will be passed down as well. This is biologically what creates family, but personal history and shared loving bonds bring those relationships to life. By honoring those bonds, not only does my work come alive, but the stories connecting each piece persevere.