About the Exhibit
Created as a final conversation with his mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, Pierce’s work blends personal symbolism — birds from their walks, flowers from her favorite plant nursery, and insects catalogued during family mushroom hunts — with a shifting color palette that reflects the fading clarity of their conversations.

“This work was originally intended to be a shared experience with her,” Pierce says. “Though she fought bravely, life sets its own timetables. My mother lost her battle with dementia, but ultimately, regained her freedom. These images are meant to convey the simplicity, confusion, fear, wonder, and repetition of her struggle.”

About the Artist
Benjamin Pierce received his BFA in illustration and graphic design from Washington University in St. Louis. Born and raised in St. Louis, he now resides in Webster Groves. His work centers on themes of diversity, inclusion, and reclamation, often using layered imagery to reveal both beauty and complexity.

“There is beautiful commonality within all of our diversity,” Pierce says. “My work is meant to highlight that beauty and that process of self-reclamation. It is my intention to create a visual lexicon through which these topics can be discussed.”