This thesis body of work entitled, Life's Cycles, is an installation that explores the concept of movement with the passage of time. Ideas of time, cycles, legacy and memory are encapsulated in the work. The work investigates the intersecting layers that occur among these concepts: how time affects cycles, how the legacy of an individual evolves over time, and how memory relates to legacy as a record of an individual's past existence. In this thesis work, time is conveyed as spherical not linear revolving in a multiplicity of cycles. The past, the present and the future are presented as existing together simultaneously. For example, the present is the future of the past. In this thesis exhibition clay is the medium of choice because of its pliable nature and ability to be transformed into any form imaginable. Clay, the substance that the earth is made of, is suitable to represent this body of work that was conceptualized from nature. The flight patterns of butterflies initiated the concept of movement. Their gordy colors inspired the selection of hues used in the work. Seasonal cycles particularly the freezing and thawing of water in rivers from summer to winter promoted the idea of freezing a moment of time.
For the purpose of this thesis, legacy is seen as a continuous cycle that spirals. Each generation creates a legacy and in doing so adds to the legacy that existed previously, creating a collective spiral of memory and legacy. The legacies of a few well known individuals will be discussed in light of their influences on their families, respective nations and even the global community. Family legacies will be examined to discover any similarities or overlapping areas in family members that may have been passed on. The work of Carl Jung will be used as a tool in discovering some of the layering among the concepts being explored. The artist behind the work is interested in the interplay that is possible as these concepts overlap and become entwined.
