Kailee Elisha Batson - Mixed Media Visual Artist

            The phrase ‘memento mundi’ means to ‘remember the world.’ Too much fear and apprehension is placed on the word of ‘death.’ Its mere mention conjuring up painful memories. However, with a sincere appreciation for the physical body, the electrical impulses of thought, and of man’s inherent connection to the Earth, an acceptance of death may be gained. Dealings with that word of ‘death’ are explored throughout this body of work. 

             The afterlife may always remain a question, but the answer is hidden in the dirt. The existence of some unknown divine is proven in the edges of the red stone cliffs, flecked with golden bits of sunlight. It is proven in the sacred architecture of caverns, of mountains, of the forest. It is proven by the symbiotic relationship between all things living in this vast macrocosm. It is proven in the smell of dirt, and how it brings a sense of home to the forefront of the mind. 

            Clay allows its molder an opportunity to shape the Earth, and for this reason ceramic sculpture is the primary media utilized in this body of work. Similarly, naturally-occurring found objects are exhibited, encapsulated by beeswax in the assemblages. These objects will eventually decay, further lending to the conceptual aspects of the work: an exuberance for life, a reverence for the death, and the discovery of divine presence in the majesty that is Nature. All things must die, and must return to the Earth, and must repeat anew the cycle.