OBSCURE

Traumatic memories are fragmented and challenge many of the basic notions we hold about the nature of memory. This quilt seeks to visually represent the obscured and fragmented nature of traumatic memory. You can know something but not name it. If you don't name it, it's easier to go on as if it never happened. But, it can also be confusing. Time gets confused. There are blank spots. As someone living with c-PTSD, I am grateful for and fascinated by the methods my brain employed to keep me safe. As you look at this quilt, your eye may struggle to understand what's in front and what's behind. By using value and figure-ground ambiguity, I'm hoping to give the viewer an experience that mimics the challenges that come with traumatic memory.