Custom designed jewelry for the Silent Spring Gala, Memory of the Tides is a one-of-a-kind necklace with hand-crafted sterling silver and quahog clam shells.
The quahog clam shells are a transcription of geologic time, forming layers which are shaped by water, tides, and turbulent storms over several years. The shells preserve history and tell a story from the past.
The sterling silver is metalsmithed through repeated cycles of heating, cooling, shaping, and forging. The metal reflects sustained resilience in the face of change, adversity, and extreme circumstances. The shell and silver come together to honor the memory of those whose absence continues to shape the lives of those who remain, while also celebrating how research will continue to make cancer prevention possible.
The natural materials for Memory of the Tides were found on the coast of the north Atlantic ocean. The piece ties characteristics from the land for which Silent Spring Institute's spatial history is embedded, with the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study being the first study conducted by the Institute.