‘To be forgotten is to die twice’.
I am intrigued by the traces we leave, on people's hearts, on objects and places. Themes of love and loss permeate my arts practice. My current body of work explores ritual grief practices at St. Brigid’s Well, in Liscannor, Co. Clare. The intimate prayers of the well-goers are enshrined at the site, through the leaving of tokens of remembrance, or ‘clooties’. Where traditionally rags were tied to a prayer tree, the modern visitor leaves whatever they have with them; hair ties, bracelets, photos, children’s toys. The countless talismans left by visitors to the site go beyond time and religious leanings. The religious statues at the well are weighed down with entreaties. These love/grief tokens represent the commonality of grief. My work attempts to honour the memories held at this powerful site with compassion for those who are suffering or who have passed on. Human memory and experience weave layers of meaning, changing these objects over time, imbuing them with sentiment. At this powerful pagan/Celtic/Christian site dedicated to Brigid, a sacred pause reminds us that we are all just passing through.