For the work A preliminary study of grief (lighten my heart), Maria Sandgren has conducted an archaeological excavation of the emotion of grief. She explores how grief can be perceived by someone who has lost a loved one. The loss occurs at a specific moment, and the feelings become intensely felt and last for a long time.

 

An excavation of grief can never be complete. It cannot encompass all facets, as those who live with grief find themselves in a kind of state of emergency. Someone was by their side, but no longer. At a later point in time, the bereaved re-enter a familiar state of being.

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The inspiration for the excavation comes from Mourning diary (2009/2018) by Roland Barthes, in which he describes the strong, unpredictable, and painful emotions of grief after a loss. Like Barthes, Maria's work is based on the loss of a mother. She interprets signs of grief and loss based on formations of lightness and heaviness, presence and absence, denial and affirmation.

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While reading Mourning diary, Maria was struck by how well Barthes describes experiences of loss without using concrete emotion words. She explored the formulations, the choice of words and wrote texts related to the series of pictures.

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Please contact Maria Sandgren kontakt@mariasandgren.se for ordering. The work of A preliminary study of grief (lighten my heart) can be ordered as separate pictures or in its entirety. Limited edition.

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Size: 14 x 9.5 cm (small), 18 x 12 cm (medium), 45 x 30 cm (large)

Print: Archival pigment print on acid-free cotton paper

 

Order of separate pictures

Price: 1 900 (small), 2 600 (medium), 4 300 (large) SEK (incl VAT)

Edition: 5 of each picture + 2 AP

 

Order of entire work

Price: complete work 12 pictures), please contact Maria Sandgren
Edition: 3 + 2 AP