| Title | The Ritual of Remembering |
| Artist / Creator | Mari Eckstein Gower |
| Artist's Nationality | United States |
| Place of Publication | Redmond WA |
| Publication Date | 2025 |
| Author of Text | Mari Eckstein Gower |
| Process / Technique | Inkjet printed |
| Number of Images | 11 |
| Structure / Binding | Accordion fold |
| Medium / Materials | Book cloth, plexiglass, polymer clay, wire |
| Paper Stock | 80lb superfine cover |
| Number of Pages | 16 |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 11 x 8.5 x 1 inches. Opens to 85.5 inches. |
| Edition Size | Limited edition of 5 |
| Signed & Numbered | Signed and numbered edition |
The Ritual of Remembering by Mari Eckstein Gower
My Japanese Aunt joined our family as a war bride in the 1950’s. She introduced me to a wide world of ideas. Of all these, her little Shinto altar to her ancestors was my favorite.
As the older generation in my family died away, I wanted to create a ritual to remember them. So, I thought of my aunt’s shrine & began celebrating All Souls Day with my own altar.
In late October I imagine my deceased loved ones arrive like migrating Monarch butterflies. Butterflies as personifications of human souls date back as far as the ancient Greeks, whose word for soul, Psyche, also means butterfly.
The Ritual of Remembering pays homage to my All Souls altars. It also speaks to the crisis of declining Monarch butterfly populations on both coasts of the USA. Their migrations are celebrated by communities all along their flight path. But by some counts 90% fewer Monarchs have arrived at their winter homes. Such a loss would mark not only the death of a species, but also the end to beautiful rituals.
Artist Bio
Mari Eckstein Gower is a book artist working in the Pacific Northwest. She earned her BA in art from Scripps college, and a Masters from Claremont Graduate University. Her artist books are in multiple national and international university and private collections.