"Family Ties”
The commission came from a neuroscientist whose mother had terminal cancer. Not a celebration, but preservation: a portrait of the family structure before it changed.
I interviewed each family member separately, focusing not on biography but on how they positioned themselves within the family. The neuroscience background informed the formal solution: a spatial network inspired by neural structures, each member a node within a larger constellation. Scale and placement reflect role and individuality.
The material is brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. Copper is soft and gains strength through zinc. Vulnerability and endurance in a single structure. The family shares the same material origin despite their differences.
At the centre is a light element representing the mother. It projects onto the surrounding forms, casting shadows that extend the work into the room. The sculpture shifts with light and time. What began as memorial became investigation: can a family's structure outlive its members? Can relational form exist independent of the people who made it?
Brass, zinc, copper. 55 x 75 cm.
Review by client Lara.
‘Joanna made an ode devoted to our family, as my brother and I wanted to give something special to my mom for her memorable birthday and something to cheer her up during her days of being ill.
She made a wonderful ode that represents our family and incorporated our personal family stories in an abstract way.
She really puts her heart into her work, and her devotion to making something special was incredibly valuable to us as a family. It wasn’t only the end result but also the whole process that was a highly valuable experience for us as a family.
Many thanks, Joanna, for making this incredible valuable heartwarming artwork for us.’