The Memory Persists
This piece will be a crystalline and silver ethereal image invoking the triumphs of the spirit of the Jewish people in juxtaposition to the grim photo used in the context of this piece. In this sense, the piece embodies the current and the past. The use of silver evokes the rich tradition of the Jewish people.
This artwork uses the latest technology in its methodology. This piece is a culmination of my training both academically and as an artist. The geometric nature of the work is influenced by my background in mathematics. I have always been interested in three-dimensionality. My fascination with transparencies takes the 2-dimensional into the 3-dimensional. A unique characteristic of this piece is the method used for its construction. I devised this proposed technique in 1986. I was unable to develop it at the time because of other pressing priorities in my life.
One of the big challenges of this project is the scale. Jewelers rarely work on pieces this large. Many forms of laser welding were explored but it was determined that conventional soldering techniques are most applicable to this effort. In industrial welding, joining of the material is the goal with little concern for appearance. While in the conventional silver soldering method I have chosen, appearance is paramount.
Another challenge to this project is the combined use of metal and acrylic. Acrylic melts at the temperature needed to solder silver.
While this project relies heavily on technology, traditional craftsmanship is the most important facet of my design. I am very privileged to have James Lynn working with me on The Memory Persists. Professor Lynn has earned the Master Bench Jeweler Certification from the Jewelers of America.
This panel is a print of an original photograph from the liberation of the concentration camp in Ebensee, Austria, May 7, 1945 at the end of World War II. Copyright permissions have be obtained from the US Holocaust Library.
Additional Websites: www.jameslynn-goldsmith.com