I forget memory repeat, 2023
Mixed media on paper
43 x 36cm

Mom: What did you buy?
Me: I bought oranges and bread from the grocery store.
Mom: Oh that is great! What did you buy today?
Me: Oh, I bought oranges and bread mom.
Mom: Did you go to the grocery store?
Me: Yes, I did.
Mom: That’s great. What did you get?
Me: Oranges and bread mom.

……

Norm’s mother has mixed dementia, a combination of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, both in their mild stages. While she remembers who Norm is, she has trouble with certain types of memory that repeat for a few sessions at a time. Norm must remind himself that for her, it is the first time that she is hearing it, and he must exercise patience.

To gain clarity, Norm watched a YouTube video by Lisa Genova that discussed how memory works; the brain only remembers when given attention, hence why forgetting keys or groceries (oranges and bread!) is normal.

Price: US$545
plus shipping & handling