This installation was created in 2021 as part of the Cloud 9 residency program. The work was inspired by a statement made by scientists upon viewing the first images of Mars sent back by NASA’s rover, Opportunity. When the rover landed in 2004, researchers observed small, spherical formations scattered across the Martian surface, which they described as resembling “blueberries.” These formations were later understood to be hematite concretions—structures that could only have formed in the presence of standing water—offering evidence of an ancient, dried Martian sea.
I became interested in this initial act of recognition: how scientists instinctively interpreted an unfamiliar landscape through familiar, earthly references. This moment reveals the extent to which our perception is shaped by human experience, and how deeply our understanding of the unknown is rooted in the natural world we inhabit. I also liked the idea of these objects shifting, holding duel meanings and becoming something other. (between the alien and familiar)
In response, I began creating “berry-like” forms within my domestic space, introducing an element of ritual into the making process. Each form was handmade by soaking paper with pigment, pressing it through a sieve, combining it with flour, and shaping it into small spheres, which were then baked. This repetitive, tactile process echoes both scientific investigation and everyday acts of care and preparation.
These objects were installed to form a kind of three-dimensional drawing using gold thread. Arranged in rows, the berry forms build into layered structures that reference my earlier Berry Tree drawings—images developed over time through repeated observation and depiction of berry trees. The installation extends this drawing practice into space, translating line and accumulation into physical form.
Accompanying the installation is a video work that documents aspects of the making process within the domestic environment, further emphasizing the ritualistic and intimate nature of the work.
