The Black Mirror (series) 2019-2023
The year 2020 marked a period of profound upheaval for Wendy Maruyama and her family. It began with the difficult decision to place a beloved aunt into memory care, leaving behind the home she had lived in since 1968 as dementia increasingly shaped her daily life.
Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic brought isolation and disruption on a global scale. Exhibitions, workshops, and gatherings were abruptly cancelled, and communities of artists and educators were forced to adapt overnight. Though no longer teaching, Maruyama felt a deep empathy for her colleagues navigating this sudden and disorienting shift.
At the same time, the murder of George Floyd ignited national outrage and collective grief, as protests against racial injustice spread across the country and around the world. The moment intensified an already heavy sense of instability, underscoring the fractures within American society.
Amid this broader turmoil came a deeply personal loss. In July, her uncle, affectionately known as “Unkie Roy,” passed away in isolation after months without visitors due to pandemic restrictions. His death—on Maruyama’s birthday—marked a particularly painful convergence of grief and memory.
That year also brought the loss of several close friends, compounding an already heavy emotional landscape. Together, these experiences revealed the persistent and universal weight of loss, felt across both personal and collective spheres.
As the year came to a close, Maruyama moved forward with quiet resolve—seeking endurance, reflection, and the possibility of healing after an unrelenting time.