“Im sorry, I tried, a work in progress” (2022)

From our recent fire, we retrieved an early 1900s Korean butterfly cabinet.  My wife was collecting antique Korean cabinets and this was her first piece.  It was damaged during the fire and I promised to repair it for her.  For 1 year it sat in my studio as I tried to put the pieces back, meticulously gluing each fragment, trying to fix the damaged cabinet.  After a year, I realized my limitations, still unable to fix the cabinet.  

The piece is aptly titled “I’m sorry, I tried.”  It hurt to further break down the cabinet, it reminds me of my failures; in marriage, in keeping promises.  It’s a reminder of my capabilities, it’s a reminder of work that needs to be done but will never be finished.  Each piece of splintered wood was kept, and maybe it will be eventually put back together, but for now its still a work in progress.