Firebird

Abstract

Firebird, Justin’s most recent work, confronts the fallibility of memory and the deeply human behaviors caused by the loss of a loved one. In this case, the work finds an entry point to talk about these themes through the loss of Justin’s dad to melanoma in 2009. The work examines how the ripple of his dad’s life continues to reach out in curious and unexpected ways. Using an unlikely entry point (the scientific study of the cosmos) and a playful sense of humor, Justin begins to unravel what happens to the mind and body when it encounters such heavy loss. From this central point, the work expands in many directions and asks questions such as: What stories are we supposed to tell about our loved ones who have passed? What is the role of our loved ones' possessions after they've gone? Why does loss feel so different to every person? What does it mean to carry on a "legacy"?