Reception: Out of Longing

This work is inspired by mythical creatures: religious objects, funeral jewelry, and

anthropomorphized animals, which all have symbolic meaning and embody our longing for what we don’t have, or what we wish we did. In the beginning, I combined cicadas and snails for their shared symbolism of rebirth/re-cycle. This coupling also came from an instinctive reaction to the earthbound nature of snails—I wondered if they ever wished they could fly.

The work is made from real insect parts, transformed into copper through electroforming, and then, enameled. I chose to use insects allegorically, like animals in children’s stories, creating emotional distance.  Their color is reminiscent of flesh tones—I wanted them to retain a sense of their origins, from within us.

This work is accompanied by a video and sound components. 

This project was generously funded by the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. 

The exhibition takes place at Houston Community College, Central Campus, Fine Arts Center Gallery from Aug. 21 through Nov. 3, 2023. The reception will be held on Oct. 12, Thursday at 6 pm. There will be a musical performance at 7 pm.