Abstract

Human beings' fascination for their own mortality and their everlasting desire for perenniality are not new ideas. For thousands of years man has been aware of the ephemeral aspect of its existence and has struggled to leave traces of its earthly passage in an effort to pass on knowledge to future generations, or simply to ensure that it is remembered for a few more years. This thesis identifies and studies the persistence of this issue in the work of two artists of different generations and nationalities: the Canadian-born Betty Goodwin and the French-born Christian Boltanski. Employing distinct mediums and strategies, Goodwin and Boltanski create re-imagined memento moris that are truly adapted to the present era. Working in the aesthetic of the trace and memory, they share a profound interest for the anonymous object and figure, which they address both directly and indirectly. Our thesis therefore studies two complementary aspects of their production: first the creation of an ersatz anonymous relic--which references the human body ubiquitously--, and secondly the direct motif of the human body and face, subtracted from its context and more-or-less rendered anonymous following a series of strategic iconoclast actions.