Virginia Marsh — Anamnesis — ArtCentre of Plano

2022, Stoneware, 23x18x11 in. Anamnesis, the recollection of memories, including the support and burdens we accumulate throughout life, serves as a powerful metaphor for how we gather, store, and rediscover these memories. The form, surface, and materials of an object provide portals for recalling our own experiences. A common pottery form, for instance, invites us to recognize the time-sensitive nature of pots. They are not complete until they are in use, and each context imbues them with new meanings. The basket image, therefore, is an apt metaphor for how we gather, store, and rediscover these memories. The colored engobe surface, which changed during the firing as the flames swirled around it and trapped pockets of smoke, adds to the basket’s depth and complexity. The wooden handle, chosen from a naturally broken limb, completes the form.