Memory Artifact A (purple)

Cognitive disorientation, anxiety and memory loss are themes that I explore in my practice. When my grand-mother’s dementia related symptoms became part of my family’s daily life, I needed to unravel my emotions in the studio to bridge the distance, physical and emotional. Genetic testing revealed I was also a carrier of APOE4, the Alzheimer’s Disease gene. Since then, I have been working in multimedia, unspooling questions about identity, time, and traces of memories in our bodies. I ask: what type of personal architecture do we unconsciously build to frame our personas? How can we safeguard our sense of identity through materials to withstand the damage of time? How can I articulate my personal narratives to strengthen my sense of personhood? How do I live my life now when I know my memories will most likely disappear? In my narratives, I push myself to confront erasure, chaos but I also leave breadcrumbs to retrace my steps.

Bio:
Marie B Gauthiez is a multi-disciplinary French-American artist who makes work about mapping of the self, reconstruction, preservation and identity. Marie received her MFA in Studio Art from American University (’24). She is a faculty member at the Washington Studio School in Washington DC. Recently Marie has co-curated an MFA invitational exhibition called ‘Holding Hands, Holding Space” in the Katzen Center (Washington, DC). Marie has participated in Art Night “Homegrown” at the National Gallery of Art in 2023. She was awarded the Interlude Residency Support Grant, the Van Swearingen Merit Award, the Catharina Baart Biddle Award and the Carol Bird Ravenal Art Travel Award. She has exhibited in group shows at Soft Times Gallery (San Francisco), Studio Gallery (Washington DC), Brentwood Arts Exchange (MD), the Anacostia Arts Center (DC), the Katzen Art Center (DC), Blue Mountain Gallery (NYC), Pyramid Atlantic (MD). Marie holds a BA in applied languages from Paris 10-Nanterre and an MA in Fashion Business from ESMOD Paris. She lives with her husband and two children in Northern Virginia.