Jennifer Ling Datchuk American, b. 1980

Ying and Yang are two porcelain candlestick holders with 9 little cat paws and 9 candles. Made in 2021, the white and black altars are objects to commemorate her cats Shoji and Sasha. Lighting candles in memory of lost loved ones is a ritualistic act practiced in many religions. As the artist states, “So much has been lost this past year and it feels endless in so many ways. These little altars give me a ritual to be present everyday and honor these feelings of sadness because it gives me something much more precious and a deeper purpose than I could ever imagine.” The candlesticks tread the line between memory and loss, grieving, and joy, and the living and dead.