Kristina Siegel & Memento Fugit

Visitors of 1045 Elmwood Gallery for the Arts in Buffalo, New York, have been passing tombstones. The grave-markers are not concrete slabs with inscriptions. They do not even mark real graves. Nobody has died, but a faux, fabric cemetery has recently appeared within the building. The unique scene is part of the newest installation at the gallery, “Memento Fugit,” composed by German artist Kristina Siegel.

Owner of 1045, Donald Zinteck, remembers the first time Siegel approached him. She was on a mission to secure a spot in his gallery. Hanging paintings was not the goal; she was interested in working within the three dimensional space.

“She totally had a vision for her artwork in the space…not just on the wall,” he said.

“It’s how I work. I see something then I have to work with it,” Siegel said.

The physical representation of her vision, “Memento Fugit,” runs through April 7. It is an installation of fabric tombstones, drawings, and prints.

“The beginning of the fabric was, we’re all so used to certain materials,” she said. “We’re all very irritated by changing materials.”

Siegel’s interest in materials was directly influenced by American artist Claes Oldenburg. He is well-known for his large fabric constructions of familiar objects.

“I was so impressed with his work. He played with perception; this what I liked,” she said.

If one were to spend any length of time with Siegel, they would pick up on her cerebral nature. Her mind is always working. She is always thinking and contemplating new ideas and new ways of thinking. Constant inner discourse keeps her from what she fears most - stagnation.

Siegel originates from East Germany, and completed a master’s degree in fine arts as well as one in architecture while studying in Dresden. She enjoys traveling and talking to different people, and gaining different perspectives. She has traveled within Europe, the Americas, and has even bicycled through Africa.

Much of Siegel’s work seeks to capture a feeling, an energy, so that the beginning is always spontaneous and emotional. Her work always starts with a preliminary sketch.

“I’m very interested in capturing this moment. I think a lot about it.” she said.

Her creative origins go back to a young age, where her mother could keep her busy and calm her down by giving her something to create. One of her earliest masterpieces was a watercolor landscape painting.

“Well, I was very proud of it, and my mother was, ‘Oh, OK,’” Siegel recalled with a chuckle. “Years later I talked to my mother and said, ‘You weren’t very convincing.’ She said she didn’t want to discourage me.”

Much of Siegel’s work stems from her mother. When she learned that her mother had cancer and would only have a year left to live, she went to take a walk at the nearby cemetery. The space was so silent and holy that it put her at ease. Dealing with her mother’s battle, and eventual death, shaped a new philosophy.

“Now I am more relaxed,” she said.

Siegel wastes no time being angry or spending time with people she does not enjoy the company of. A time of battle and loss has become an integral part of her, has woven itself into her life and is reflected in her art.

Having free reign to create and experiment with materials seems like it would be fun. While Siegel takes much pleasure in what she does, she would not necessarily call it fun. She believes the process of creating is “more the struggle to confront yourself.”

It can be therapeutic, but it can also be a source of insecurity.

“Sometimes I feel like, why am I doing this? Is it really worth doing?” she said.

At these times she can draw upon the memories of past professor and artist, Andreas Reinhardt. With him, through her studies, she traveled to and studied different exhibitions in Europe. During a time when she was unsure of herself, unconvinced that she had something worth saying, he gave her the confidence and inspiration she needed to pursue her passion.

When trying to explain the title “Memento Fugit,” Siegel referenced the Latin phrase “memento moria.” She explained that it comes from baroque times and describes the moment just before decay. These are the moments she looks for and hopes to capture.

“I’m not sure I understand her vision,” admitted Zinteck. But he knows that is not the point. Siegel’s inner-strength and complexity is reflected in her work. It gets people thinking. Her vision comes through, and as Zinteck put it: “that’s good enough for me.”