Haunted by the remnants of who I once was, I contemplate the ways trauma lingers even as I strive to reclaim myself. My thesis body of work, Revenant, serves as the conclusion to Woven Fractures, a series in which I explore the lifetime of trauma that I have endured while confronting specific events by fabricating sculptures by hand. Revenant marks a significant transition point- the day I left home and reclaimed my life. This body of work explores how I have lived alongside my complex post-traumatic stress disorder over the past six years. 

As my art practice has evolved, I have come to understand that it is a ritual dedicated to self preservation. I release my trauma into my sculptures as I fabricate them, making them serve as a vessel for the memories to cling to. Once I display a finished work, I feel as though I am displaying a trophy- a physical manifestation of the emotions being released. Due to the intersection between sculpture and ritual, I am primarily drawn to female performance artists such as Marina Abramović, whose work in the 1970s directly confronted vulnerability and resilience through the usage of her own body. Much like how Louise Bourgeois’ steel spiders materialize her personal experiences, I look to these artists for guidance as I relinquish my own experiences into sculptural form and ritual. 

Within the narrative of Revenant, I explore what I have uncovered as I move through the landscape of my trauma ridden mind. The original trio of sculptures was fabricated for my senior thesis. The plaster fawn, adorned with plaster dipped doilies- serves as a physical manifestation of the girl that was corrupted by trauma. I laid that version of me to rest, but her ghost still haunts me. The delicate filet crochet tapestry symbolizes the strongest instance of the deceased fawn coming to the forefront of my mind- the act of being hunted for sport by men. Throughout my adulthood, I have been subject to this treatment, all while it was being disguised as an act of love and nurture. The mirror from my high school bedroom overcome with welded steel briar patches communicates the most intimate way I have reclaimed my identity- changing my name to Briar Mae.