​“Inspired by scientific research into foetal-maternal microchimerism, the work explores how both mother and child harbour biological components of each other. I carry cells from my mother and grandmother; with each pregnancy, my children also have fragments of their siblings. These cellular links move and shift within us, connecting us through time and life.”

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​Carrying Kin: A Cellular Cosmos, 2025

Mixed-media installation consisting of five wooden frames, five suspended ink stained fabric hoops; one wall-mounted painting and two suspended gauze-printed panels.

 

This installation features five wooden frames painted in copper, supporting delicate gauze cells stained with ink, along with a wall-mounted painting and two suspended printed fabric panels. The copper  frames cradle fragile, breath-responsive gauze cells, whose fluid colouration offers shifting perspectives and a sense of movement. Overlapping concentric circles reflect my ongoing exploration of my female ancestral connections and the cellular ties that bind us across generations. 

Inspired by scientific research into foetal-maternal microchimerism, the work explores how both mother and child harbour biological components of each other. I carry cells from my mother and grandmother; with each pregnancy, my children also have fragments of their siblings. These cellular links move and shift within us, connecting us through time and life.

At the centre of the piece is a hexagonal void, referencing loss—whether from miscarriage or medical procedures like hysterectomy. Rather than viewing this emptiness as disconnected from femininity, I see it as a space full of potential—embodying loss, longing, creation, and cellular connection. It is a space of nourishment and abundance, holding both presence and absence.

The wall-mounted painted cell anchors the work in this moment, while the flowing fabric panels evoke an ancestral influence that continues through time. Together, these elements reflect the microscopic and macroscopic dimensions of my human experience—as daughter, mother, and future grandmother. The cellular spaces speak of joy and sorrow, light and shadow—of holding on and letting go.

The void invites reflection on the vast cosmos within those we love and have loved: the known, the unknown, and those yet to come. This work explores the intricate dance of life’s cycles, kinship, and the profound connections that shape our identity across generations.