Ever Upward

2019-2020

4’ x 2’

Carved Caribou antler

Despite being generally comfortable with the idea of death and dying, I still dread the inevitable passing of the people I meet. I learn invaluable things and have irreplaceable experiences with each individual person I spend time with, and every interaction adds something to my own experience.

On the handle of this piece are names of people in my life who have passed away to date, From my great grandparents’ generation to my own. As I get older, this list will only grow. These people live in my memories and the memories of others I’ll never know. Some of them were family. Some were friends. Some were acquaintances, or artists whose work had affected me way more than I had ever affected them. 

Some died after long and full lives, some died young. Some decided to leave on their own terms. Some passed away after a long battle with illness, some passed suddenly.

Death is the terminal where a life’s personal story ends.Everything until then is a unique experience that no one has ever had, and no one ever will again. Behind every name is a whole life story, experiences I’ve been lucky enough to observe a little of.

Tony Aguilar Sr. (1932-2020)

Federico “Fidi” Pascua (1929-2020)

Ruby L. Thomsen (1924-2020)

Annie Duffy (1974-2020)

Penny Wakefield (1940-2020) 

Quing “Quinni” Han (1990-2020)

Maria Solis- Porras (1930 - 2020)

Tjoa Tjin Han (1957-2020)

Nick Biles (1982-2019) 

Brian Wayne Saathoff (1979-2019)

Mawardi Gunarto (1938-2019)

Jose Porras ( 1926- 2018)

Alain Gunarto (1977-2018)

Bayu Murti Hadipurnomo (1943-2018)

Tjoa Boen Djan (1930-2019)

Maria Johanna Tiggeler (1935 - 2017)

Bahar Deka (1972-2017)

Carol Mau (1949-2017)

Luciana Djuhadi Handoyo (1938-2017)

Hobbes Walter (2001-2014)

Petrus Selestinus Djuhadi (1969 -2014)

Weldon D. Taylor (1932-2013) 

Glenn “Butch” Taylor (1945 - 2012)

 Thomas Schowalter (1995-2011) 

Berlina Ali Djuhadi (1935-2011)

Russell Conley (1944-2011)

John David Walter Sr. (1937-2010)

Robertus Bonifasius Budijanto Tanu (1951-2006)

Robert Kunce (1929 - 2004)

Mariana Krestiani Djuhadi (1945-2002)

Alphie Taylor (1913-2000)

Lo King Gie (1933-1997)

Ko Kiem Hwa (1910-1988)

Tjoa Liong Djiang (1909-1975)