Molly Freemark
1928-1981
Molly Freemark was my grandmother. I never got the chance to meet her. She died when she was 53 from a complication in surgery connected to her uterus. Using original recordings, the performance documented a real-life conversation between a mother and her daughter (my mother), encapsulating Molly’s challenges, fears, and daily routine as a mother in the late 1970s. the sound of Molly's voice is edited in a loop. Although the actual recordings are funny at times, here they demonstrate how inauthenticity was performed in Molly’s reality, as she expressed relinquishing everything she wanted in order to have children and raise them properly.
Perhaps by creating this performance and writing this paper I am documenting a maternal path through the generations, using her struggle to learn how to fight my own.
Molly Freemark
Audio// Molly Freemark, my grandmother, died when she was 53 from a complication in surgery.
Using original recordings, the performance documented a real-life conversation between a mother and her daughter (my mother), encapsulating Molly’s challenges, fears, and daily routine as a mother in the late 1970s.
The sound of Molly's voice is edited in a loop. Although the actual recordings are funny at times, here they demonstrate how inauthenticity was performed in Molly’s reality, as she expressed relinquishing everything she wanted in order to have children and raise them properly.
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A letter from her Husband- 94 years old - 2018:
"..The men and women who wrote the Bible 1 thousand years ago were a pretty smart bunch.
Early on they figured out that human beings were not meant to live forever. They were not designed to be immortal. Yet there is a small portion of immortality in every person. That the small portion we call the soul, and it is imperishable. The body dies, the soul lives on. And I say with some conviction that tonight in our midst we have such a soul. I refer of course to MALKA,bat Yrachmeal. In her life span Molly's love of children and family was fierce and unceasing and there is no way that she would allow an opportunity like this afternoon to pass her by and so her spirit is here with us. I've been incredibly blessed to have reached this special time and to have the family I have. and I am thankful to join you. As I see everyone present a picture of my favorite symbol; that comes to mind, I refer of course to the embedded family tree. Joyce Kilmer the poet said it best, " I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree" In my mind, I see you all as branches of that tree- each of you unique, separate, distinct-following your own course, pursuing your individual destiny, yet all interconnected and
interrelated to the sense of family. Always remember that you are interwoven, one to each other, connected to the family tree. For all the lovely sentiments spoken today, I am truly grateful and humbled.
God Willing, let's make it an annual event. LOVE YOU ALL.
SABAMORTY..."