In Search of Meaning: Memory Becomes Us

In Search of Meaning: Memory Becomes Us, the Phillips Museum of Art, September 5 - December 8, 2023
Sordoni Art Gallery, Wilkes University, 2022
Maryland Hall for the Arts, Chaney and Martino Galleries, Annapolis, MD, 2021
Esther Klein Gallery, University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA, 2019

An exhibition illuminating the role memory plays in relation to who we are, Patricia Moss-Vreeland’s paintings, prints, artist books, poetry and videos are metaphoric responses to the construction of memory and have meaning on many layers. They reside in concert with the interlacing of science texts, connecting the personal to the universal. In a series of conversations Moss-Vreeland had with Dr. Dasa Zeithamova, University of Oregon, documented in the exhibition, they explore the function of the human brain to find meaning, the parallel universes of art and science, their different ways of knowing and self-expression, and the importance of stepping out of our silos and forming relationships. Moss‐Vreeland addresses the multi‐sensory elements of memory, giving more opportunities for making connections, while integrating her ongoing inquiry about the social impact of memory, with a sensory component designed with the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

There are thematic sections that become intersectional within the exhibition, to engage for different levels of viewing and connection. Three main relationships are between memory, place and the environment; memory, gender, emotion, and identity; and memory and patterns. Printed text blocks separate imagery sections, reproduce the art and science conversation, stimulate ideas about memory, its creativity and connection. The entire conversation also runs on the plasma screen, giving added layers of meaning to the sensory experience.

Link below to Moss-Vreeland in conversation with Dr. Dasa Zeithamova, from Moss-Vreeland's art and science exhibition, In Search of Meaning: Memory Becomes Us,
https://cognem.uoregon.edu/outreach/