Elizabeth Siegfried | Termina

11 August - 19 September 2009

Exhibition Dates: August 11 – September 19, 2009

Closing reception for the artist: Thursday, September 17th, 5-8pm

 

The gallery is pleased to present “Termina”, an exhibition of work by Elizabeth Siegfried that tells the story of her diminishing family tree and contemplates the ending of one branch of Siegfried’s family lineage: her own. As this is applied ot her own family, “Termina” becomes a quintessential self-portrait.


Research shows that families in many places in the world are getting smaller. This trend carried profound socio-economic implications underscored by a powerful emotional impact. Not having children, whether or not a conscious decision, can bring with it sadness and nostalgia, perhaps guilt or regret. The reality of representing the last of the line of one’s family can be extremely poignant. Siegfried writes: “I am fortunate to have had a family whose generations have loved taking pictures, both motion and still; so when I stumbled upon a forgotten box of 16mm film I knew I had discovered something truly special.” The films which were shot between 1922 and 1945 brought three generations of the artist’s family back to life. Especially affected by the images of her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, Siegfried transferred the films to digital media, then began examining each frame, editing them to highlight the scenes and gestures that captured the personality, character and spirit of each woman.