Eclipse

Gina Westergard, artist

born 1962

Eclipse, 2005

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: sterling silver; chrysoprase; acrylic; enamel paint; copper; twenty-four-carat gold leaf; palladium leaf

Dimensions:
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 22 x 43 cm
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 8 11/16 x 16 15/16 in

Credit line: Museum purchase: Peter T. Bohan Art Acquisition Fund

Accession number: 2020.0046.a,b,c

Not on display

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The ceaseless cycle of life inspires University of Kansas faculty member Gina Westergard to create intricate funerary urns, such as Eclipse, that address a challenging topic we must all confront: death. Her artistic practice as a metalsmith typically entails making functional objects, in which the user’s needs, wishes, and desires are considered at the point of creation. So too, she suggests, should funerary urns be made to invite storytelling and human connection. The minimalistic form and vibrant colors on the outside of Eclipse are meant to elicit the joy and beauty of a life lived, but the urn also opens to reveal more intricate interior spaces, new surfaces, and discrete objects. Westergard said these acts of discovery represent “new growth, renewal, and an energy that continues” even after death.