melting MEMORIES

MJ TYSON'S JEWELRY AND SCULPTURES RECAST PERSONAL HISTORIES

- JENNIFER ALTMANN

The sculptures and jewelry made by artist MJ Tyson tell a story, and often that story dovetails with the materials she uses. In many of her pieces, she melts down objects — from personal treasures to mundane household items — to explore the relationship between people and their possessions.

“In my work, I show the previous state of the object and then the transition to the new object. It helps us understand something about impermanence,” Tyson said.