C H L O E   W I L S O N

M E M O R Y  S P A C E

(2013)

The following series of paintings was inspired by a specific process of remembering that struck me on a recent trip to Chicago. I was waiting for a train that had once been part of my daily commute. I stood on the train platform and became overwhelmed by all the moments I had spent in this place before – at different stages of my life, in different seasons, with different people. I became acutely aware of all the change I had passed through since first entering this space, and was overwhelmed by this weighty physicality of time that was so palpable in this single moment of remembrance. Intrigued by that experience, I set out to investigate it more in depth. The resulting paintings are a haunted group dealing with memory, place, time, and impermanence. These themes are explored with both wonder and woe. Narratives are created not only with images but also with the lack thereof. Empty spaces and faded images carry as much weight as fully realized objects - just as how an incomplete memory might disturb one more than a memory that is easily recalled. The process used to create these works was meant to mimic the process of accumulating memories – acrylic paint was applied in many layers, sanded away and then reapplied. Images were developed only to be sanded away or covered up by new layers of paint. The application and removal of paint was a repetitive process that started out randomly, and became more intentional with the development of the final composition.