The Intersection of Grief and Gratitude
Date
2023-12
Authors
DuVal Mihelich, Katie
Major Professor
Advisor
Muench, Joseph
Moss, Kimberly
Marquart, Debra
Committee Member
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Abstract
This body of work and corresponding written thesis, The Intersection of Grief and
Gratitude, explore four themes within my process of grieving: memory and contemplation,
faith and doubt, the individual and the community, and grief and gratitude. These four
themes, with an emphasis on the experience of the artwork, promote interaction as the
installation orchestrates a shared experience.
In 2016, my mom was diagnosed with mantle cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The
news came as a big shock to my family and me as we tried to navigate the situation
together. Grieving is typically associated with significant loss, specifically the death of a
loved one. But for me, the grieving process started as soon as I heard the word ‘cancer’ and
understood the resulting prognosis. Many parts of this journey are difficult to express and
even more difficult to talk about. I have researched artists that convey themes of grief and
gratitude, and developed my own work inspired by those who have come before me while
placing emphasis on my own personal experience.
Humans have struggled to find meaning, purpose, and closure within the context of
loss, and I am no different. Grief is universally and individually experienced—an anchor
that pulls us together. When grief is shared, it has the potential to bring new meaning to
others and enhance our understanding of the human experience. While there is a shared
history, this work is my own, ever evolving with the uniqueness of personal experience. Grief
and gratitude continue to be a motivation for my art making and have impacted and connected
me with other people in my life that struggle with similar challenges.
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Academic or Administrative Unit
Art and Visual Cultures
Type
article