Moment(ous) – Cléa van der Grijn

Synopsis

Moment(ous), a thought provoking project exploring love and loss of a child and what it is to be part of the resulting grief. The installation is in three components. Two commanding life size photographs ( of mantlepieces ) reveal a lifetime collection of family moments through snapshots, notes and artefacts. A photograph of a still, resting body. It is fragile, and disarming and a collection of video stills which freeze frame the private, domestic moments of a family and its grief.

The image of the resting body is quite disarming as it takes a while for it to come into focus. The viewer is driven to reconsider the elements of this image. the viewer is asked to consider how ordinary moments can become extraordinary.

The two substantial mantlepieces are seperated from their domestic interior, moments that quickly stitch the life of the family together. These are images of friends, smiles, celebrations and artefacts that span several decades. These two images reveal a tapestry of a personal memory of a family and both contain moments from that life that is no longer.

Mantlepieces

Public Mourning - Lambda print on dibond, 2.8 x 1.8m — Public Mourning, Lambda print on dibond, 2.8m x 1.8m. (With assistance from Stuart Smyth)

Private Mourning - Lambda print on dibond, 2.8 x 1.8m — Private Mourning, Lambda print on dibond, 2.8m x 1.8m. (With assistance from Stuart Smyth).

Video Stills

Ruriko Hands - Lambda print on dibond with acrylic mount 60cm x 60cm — Ruriko Hands, Lambda print on dibond with acrylic mount, 60cm x 90cm

Urn, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount 60cm x 60cm — Urn, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Ashes, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount 60cm x 60cm — Ashes, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Garden, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Wreath, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount 60cm x 60cm — Wreath, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Niesje ( Mother ), Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Table, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Orlando, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Winnie the Poo, Lambda print on dibond with scrylic mount, 60cm x 60cm

Critical Reviews

Author: Maurice O’Connell

Circa Magazine

Momentous is a thought provoking project exploring love and , loss of a child and what is to witness , and be part of the resulting grief. The installation is in three components. Two commanding life-size photographs (of mantelpieces) reveal a lifetime collection of family moments through snapshots, notes and artefacts. A photograph, of a…

Author: Aidan Dunne

Irish Times

“Tackling the taboo subject of death with clarity and precision” CLEA VAN DER GRIJN’S Moment(ous) , currently showing at the Cross Gallery, originated at The Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon earlier this year. It marks something of a departure for van der Grijn, who has previously been best known for her textural paintings, pieces that have clearly…

Synopsis

Mantlepieces

Video Stills

Critical Reviews

Installation