Lush that you are doing something so personal, even through something very specific to you, this still introduces lots of interesting general questions/themes about materiality, embodiment, authenticity etc. Exploring the act of reconstruction - as a process of healing, dealing with loss by creating new (productive mode of grief).

Also makes me think about emotional embodiment - how we imbue inanimate objects with ‘souls’, ‘meaning’ and value’. Reminds me of Hannah Black exhibition at Chisenhale, she used transitional objects (objects that babies use as surrogate for mother). Could be interesting to look into psychology of transitional objects?

Wonder what you will discover to be the necessary characteristics for doll 2.0 to be sufficient replacement (if any recreation will ever suffice!?)- will surface/form level imitation that you are aiming towards in wax and plaster be enough- or will you have to think about reconstructing her absence in more abstracted formats, e.g. creating object/device specifically to replace the tactile feel of her on your cheek, or cooling purpose.

You could explore how to update and reimagine old doll to fit your current self more directly, instead of recreating the past, adapt it, create new constant for next phase of life, what sentimental object could you construct which would suit your emotional needs better today (i.e. even as simple as upscaling, to fit body better). This could help you move away from past, help healing, or not but could be interesting to consider? (links possibly to way in which you accessorized and updated your photogram cast) Why is it we see ourselves as no longer needing these companions/sentimental objects as we are older? Is this a misplaced cultural norm? What might adult equivalents of the doll be (I don’t mean sex dolls...but maybe that is equivalent idk lol)? I also like how this exploration acknowledges the importance and significance of physical contact and our bodily needs. It’s easy to forget that we live and experience our entire lives inside bodies, yet technology often makes us forget that we have whole bodies that needs physically attending to. I therefore imagine that virtual doll 2.0 post scan will feel more like archive, memory than a sufficient replacement.

Also makes me think of black mirror episode when girl gets super realistic avatar replacement for dead husband, (if you haven’t seen it I can find it for you).. throws up questions of mortality in relation to object i.e. doll might look and behave exactly same but can’t physically ever be the same.