Susan Swihart
Tend Your Garden
2023

About the Item

Susan Swihart is a photographic artist, born and raised in Massachusetts, now living in Los Angeles, CA. Her photographs are enquiries into the nature of identity and the persistence of memory. She received a BS in Art with a Concentration in Visual and Media Design from Northeastern University. A two-time Critical Mass finalist, her work has been included in numerous solo and group shows and collected Internationally. Susan Swihart Object of Beauty is a personal exploration about aging. While I feel the pressure to capture what once was and can never be again, I also find nostalgia, deep emotions and joy in the many objects of my past. I hold onto even the most fragile and damaged mementos, which carry special meaning to me. Some remind me of a loved one that I am no longer able to visit with, while others are links to memories I am afraid to forget. As my memories fade and I struggle to remember, this project allows me to explore how we are formed greatly by our past, but also reminds me to allow more kindness and acceptance in my pursuit of the unattainable. That letting go of things can free one up for new experiences and relationships. Especially poignant in these times, when desperate to live without constraints, I’ve become more aware of my desire to hold onto unnecessary things. As I struggle to purge and make room to live more freely, I acknowledge my limitations to protect the beauty I remember. To create these still life vignettes, I use dolls as surrogates of myself and those that are close to me, with objects that hold profound memories and connections. The resulting imagery allows me to explore, with humor, the changes I’m experiencing, while highlighting the beauty in its reality.

Creator:

Susan Swihart (American)

Creation Year:

2023

Dimensions:

Height: 10 in (25.4 cm)Width: 8 in (20.32 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.26 mm)

More Editions & Sizes:

Edition of 10 Price: $750

Medium:

Archival Paper

Movement & Style:

Contemporary