the stone in your mouth is a new body of work inspired by the alchemical processes that soft bodies have evolved to protect themselves. These works reference oyster, abalone, and durian forms, whose contents create both desire and disgust in their consumers, to explore ideas of protection, rigidity, aggression, and desire. These forms on display are vessels that both invite and repel, their tactile surfaces invite curious hands but also serve as a warning to not get too close.
I reference how the creation of pearls is inherently one of self-defense, as an organism protects itself from an invading irritant like sand or salt by coating it in a slimy mucus that hardens into pearlescent nacre. I often think about the violent nature of farming and harvesting each of these goods, and the way this reflects how we see our own and each others’ bodies under capitalism. How can we evolve our sense of protection and self preservation in a world that insists that our bodies produce something of value? the stone in your mouth considers the science fiction of interior worlds and speculative futures, and how its creatures will continue to evolve.
