Beneath my skin, cells under - Hold

Copper leaf on glass, chemical corrosion with ammonia and vinegar

29.7 × 21 cm

"Concealed by each scab, fresh cells wait to decay with the sun."

My practice is rooted in my experience of urticaria, a skin condition that makes me think of the body through cycles of wounding and erosion. I listen to my skin, see self-harm as a mode of existing, and approach materials as collaborators that share in this negotiation.

In this work, I use traditional gilding to place copper leaf beneath glass. Before the corrosion process, I scratch the surface with my own nails, a gesture that marks the beginning of its decay—the wound becoming the core for the fuming that follows. I then expose it to ammonia and vinegar fumes for three days, after which it is left in room temperature and airflow to continue an open-ended transformation.