Mother's Gall Stones

Details

    © 2019

    size of edition: 4 v.e.

    Dimensions (in inches): 8.2 x 5.3 x 1

  • Materials:gall stone, vintage fabric and lace, ink, digital ink, thread, paper, book board, book cloth, wood
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Statement

Another work inspired by the treasures found and saved by previous generations of my father's family. Each piece in this variable edition houses one of the gall stones removed from my great-grandmother's gall bladder and kept in an old cosmetic jar. I'm struck not only by the size of these stones, but that they are so compelling as oddities that not only were they saved and passed down, but I decided to create an object to house them. Also used are vintage handkerchiefs from the same household.

Text and sources

This is one of the smallest of the dozen gallstones removed from my great- grandmother Mamie’s gall bladder and saved by my great Aunt Ruth in an old cold cream jar. Family stories tell that the surgeon who removed them was impressed at the size of them, remarking that they were the largest gall stones he had ever removed.

collections of

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, University of Denver